The #1 Rule To Becoming A Successful Skier

Skiing Is Supposed To Be FUN!

This may seem like a cliché but hear me out...

If you’re not having fun, why do it? There is always a way and a reason to have fun on the hill, no matter what. Whether you’re a beginner or a pro, learning can become serious and frustrating if you don’t meet the moment with an open mind. You’re choosing to spend your time and energy on it, so why not have the highest quality fun possible? Keep in mind why you are doing it, whether you are on vacation, you live in a ski town and enjoy laps at your own leisure or you’re competing in the X games; your motivating factors should always be passion, fun, productivity, experience, enjoyment or whatever it is that got you out of your house and to the slopes in the first place.

There is always a way to make it fun, no matter where you are at these three things are important to understand and overcome to create the most positive experience possible; embarrassment is not self serving, without failure there is no lesson, you have the skills to do anything sometimes you just need the right answers.

Embarrassment is not self serving or fun at all...

Ego and expectation are hard to get over in this world and if you’re trying to impress others with your skiing skills (or any other skills for that matter), you’re likely setting yourself up for failure and, although motivating, I find myself doing things for the wrong reasons if I’m concerned about what others are going to think.

Do it for yourself, whether you need challenge to face your fears, become more active, learn something new(the sport in general or develop skills within,) or you feel you have something to share with your world from your skiing, you still always need to do it for yourself. This is one of the most important tools I’ve found for having fun on and off the slopes 24/7 after struggling with external validation for years.

Being embarrassed about falling, failing or what others think, ultimately can hinder the learning process. If you are falling you have been given an opportunity to learn. Sometimes it’s a lapse of consciousness, sometimes it’s a lack of control, sometimes it’s a poor decision, but whatever it is, your ability to learn from it ultimately determines your path to success and the quality of your day. I’ve fallen thousands of times, and will continue to it’s just a part of the sport. As I’ve fallen, I’ve also learned how to fall and how to laugh at my falls and fails, which in turn has increased longevity in my days, trips and seasons and increased the amount of fun and smiles in my days exponentially.

This leads me to my next point:

Without failure there is no lesson

Failing and what emotions you associate with it are vital to how much fun you have on the hill. It’s easy and understandable to get upset by failure or the pain of falling. Resistance and inability can be one of the most frustrating experiences for a motivated individual. That aside, when you decide to put away your frustrations and decide that failure is beautiful, your ability to gain perspective and create new outcomes becomes so much easier and I find the resistance lifts. To boot, I find the higher the quality of the emotion that you put into rewarding yourself for finding the lesson in failure, the more incentive you create to learn and grow. In turn building and repeating techniques for self empowered learning and inevitably help yourself in overcoming obstacles on and off the hill. This makes learning fun, jovial and makes you a lot more pleasant to be around(sorry to anyone that suffered from me taking it too seriously.)

And my third insight into the world of fun:

Asking for help is beyond NO ONE

Right now I ask for more help than I ever have in my ski career and I would not be where I’m at without the mentors, coaches, parental support, friendship and relationships I’ve developed over the last 24 years of skiing. These people have been the foundation of my ability to have fun on the slopes and without them I wouldn’t be able to share the memories I have and create the experiences in my ski career that will last my lifetime. If you are struggling, ask for help from an inviting individual. If you want a friend to ski with, just ask. If you want to learn seek a mentor, whether me or someone else. When you are open and receptive to learning and growing, most people will likely will be invited to teach and share their knowledge.

I’m always willing to tailor programs or help overcome barriers when I can, but don’t forget about the people who live in the mountains, they’re there for a reason. Being nice and humble will get you places in this world, no matter what the venue!

Whelp, there you have it, three of my most valuable tips for having fun on the slopes I hope you enjoy and are able to apply these on your next trip to the mountains!

And remember if you’re not smiling, you’re doing it wrong!

Want to learn more about skiing from me? Check out my FREE 3-Part Critical Key Video Course below to make the most out of your time on the mountain while staying safe and performing in top condition.

Much Love!

-Scot Chrisman-

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Why the Academy of Skiing?

Scot started the AOS to share his knowledge of skiing with others to eliminate the unnecessary struggles of learning to ski discover their passion for the slopes. Scot has spent his life pursuing skiing and learning the ins and outs of racing, park, and big mountain. From losing and breaking equipment to injuries, Scot has been through it all and wants to share his life journey with you.

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