Pushing through fear and finding the 3-day smile
I got into backcountry skiing three years ago. I have never looked back. It's become one of my favorite things to do. I leave every experience exhilarated and exhausted, mentally and spiritually refreshed, feeling a sense of immense accomplishment, and always have a huge smile for days following. It can be unnerving, particularly on the way up, and I try not to look down too much, but that's one of the things that makes it so great. It can be really fucking scary (one recommendation is not to listen to the Into the Wild soundtrack while your hiking - a mistake I made that took my mind to a very wrong place).
At work we talk a lot about embracing fearlessness as a means of achieving business success. I have bought into that in a pretty major way and have extended the idea to my personal life. In many ways, I find that my athletic pursuits, particularly the variety that put me in challenging physical and mental situations, enhance my ability to navigate my business life. And it also works the other way. The point is that attacking my fears no matter what they be has always brought me to a much better place. You get a pretty big confidence buzz after you conquer something that scares the shit out of you. And I've found that confidence can cure a lot of things and is particularly pivotal to effective creative and business leadership as well as setting yourself on the path to becoming a better and more content person.
I owe my friends who got me out to Rocky Mountain National Park a lot. It was a real game-changer for me. I really recommend the experience to anyone that isn't bothered by the idea of "working for your turns" a little bit. Hook up with the guides at the Colorado Mountain School. They'll treat you right, keep you safe, and help you find your buzz.
Below are some pics of the day skiing the "Elevator Shaft" on Hallett's Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Thanks to Colin Lantz and Mike Alkaitis for the pics.
You can view more of them here as well as some video of the action: http://bit.ly/9vSACY
