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I am 47 years old. I still feel like I’m 21, but I now “enjoy” a variety of aches and pains that have no discernible cause. I’m also getting closer to needing reading glasses. Yet, yesterday for the first time in my life, I strapped on a snowboard and tried something completely new. Let me give you some background.
Twenty-six years ago, after college, I moved to Summit County, Colorado with my great friends Davin, Ted, and Dan. We lived the quintessential ski lifestyle. And I was pretty good at it. Good enough to become a ski patroller at Keystone (to be honest, I was still the worst skier of all my roommates). Good enough to ski just about anything in Colorado. I loved it, but after two years I dropped out of law school.
Fast forward 24 years. I was a lawyer living in Chicago when the pandemic hit. Crime skyrocketed. Chicago languished. So, my wife and I decided to pack up and move back to Summit County, Colorado with our son. We’ve been here for almost two years now and ski every weekend in the winter.
Related: The Lasting Benefits of Being Comfortable with Discomfort
The challenge
Several weekends during the ski season we go out with our friends Connor and Laura. Laura is a skier (amazing) and Connor is a snowboarder (spectacular). Even though Laura and I ride the same bike, watching the speed and power that Connor can generate on a snowboard is truly impressive. To be honest, I’ve never had a huge interest in snowboarding, but when you see someone who’s really good at it, well, I couldn’t help but think, “I have to try it.”
Now, let’s go back to the beginning. Again, I’m 47 years old. Snowboarding is legendary because it is extremely hard on the wrists, back, butt, shoulders and knees when you start. So when I said I was thinking of trying it, most of my friends told me I’d lost my mind.
However, I couldn’t shake the interest and wanted (maybe needed) an excuse to try. Luckily, my friend Chuck and his family were coming to visit us, so I asked him if he’d like to go snowboarding for the day. His exact response was, “Always up for an adventure.”
So, one brisk morning in early March, Chuck and I grabbed our snowboards and headed to the mountains. Did we get a lesson? Obviously not. Too stubborn. And both of us being strong skiers, we thought “How hard can it be?”
Well, I won’t keep you in suspense. It’s difficult. Really difficult. The moment I stepped inside, I realized I could barely stand. As we sat in line for the elevator, I began to sweat profusely. I realized that despite all the comfort I have on skis, I was practically helpless on a snowboard. But we left.
Here are the results: (a) I haven’t gotten off a single chairlift without falling; (b) I could not turn my toe to save my life; (c) literally, I fell more in one day on a snowboard (probably 30-40 times) than I have in the last 30 years combined on skis; (d) on skis I am confident, to the point of arrogance. On this snowboard, “Paddington’s Easy Way Home” felt like K2; and (and) the next day, I assessed my injuries…two pinched thumbs, two sprained wrists, and two badly bruised knees.
Related: Do you want to be an entrepreneur? Get comfortable when you’re uncomfortable.
Rewards and application to entrepreneurship
So you’re probably thinking that it wasn’t a very successful day, in fact the exact opposite. It was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait to do it again. Here because:
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As you get older, there are very few things you can do that are truly new and challenging. Especially as an entrepreneur, your life becomes uncomfortable. The more you can thrive in those circumstances, the better.
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Fear is not a weakness: it is a strength if you decide to overcome it. Making the leap into entrepreneurship necessarily involves fear. But if you never jump, you’ll never fly. Embrace the fear and take the leap.
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Being humiliated reminds you that you are never as great as you think you are. We can all use a dose of humility from time to time. As an entrepreneur, you will fail. Over and over and over. And that’s fine. Failure teaches you. Learn from your failures and improve.
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Your friends have the power to both inspire you to do new things and join you on the journey. Both are an absolute gift. As an entrepreneur, you cannot achieve your goals alone. Create a great group of colleagues and friends. Let them inspire you. Rely on them for help. And enjoy the journey with them.
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Pain is temporary, but self-improvement is not. When you start a business and run a business, you will likely experience metaphorical pains that make you want to quit. It will happen often. Overcoming those pains and moving forward is the only way to succeed. Remember, take a step forward every day, no matter how much it hurts, and you will eventually reach your destination.
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Lastly, being an entrepreneur means you MUST be comfortable being uncomfortable. Life is full of routine, often to the point of monotony. When you get out of your routine and feel really uncomfortable, you can recharge in a way you never expected. Plus, if hardship isn’t your thing, starting a business might not be either.
Related: Why Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone is the Best Thing You Can Do as an Entrepreneur
When I recover from this adventure, the first thing I will do is buy a snowboard and boots and set off again. I’m sure it will hurt… again. I’m sure I’m going to suck… again. I’m sure I’ll fall… again and again and again. But there is a new mountain to conquer. A new goal to achieve. And it will be very uncomfortable to get there – and I’m completely comfortable with that.