I knew from the beginning that the most important thing would be getting her comfortable with speed.
Open-air speed was new to her and she would need to move past the fear.
We went straight to the top of a long, easy green run and spent a few minutes at the top to let her get a feel for the skis and how she could move in them.
We headed down the hill, and as expected, she fell plenty.
Thankfully, when you’re 5, you don’t have far to fall, so she sprung right back up with a little encouragement.
After that first run, we approached the rest of the day differently.
I put my poles under her arms so that we could ski together.
Instantly she was more comfortable with speed, and it was easier for me to teach her how to slow down and maneuver.
Pretty soon we were going surprisingly fast and she was still perfectly comfortable.
The next day, she was able to ski on her own and she knew exactly what to practice and how to control herself.
That’s when the lesson smacked me in the face– “This is the fastest way to learn ANYTHING.”
When we begin learning a new skill, the best way to accelerate progress is to have an expert come alongside you and show you what it looks like to do the thing at speed, with mastery.
You won’t be able to keep up,
But now you know what to aim for – You have a sense of direction.
There’s no more fumbling around in the dark, hoping you are learning the right things.
We all need mentors, coaches, and other professionals that work alongside us to help us practice at speed – long before we’re actually ready.
When did you learning something new from a master?
How quickly did you come up to speed?
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