GYCZ Ski Day. Ego Gets in the Way

On Friday, March 17^th I enjoyed a glorious ski day at Poley Mountain (https://www.poleymountain.com/)  in nearby Sussex, New Brunswick.  The sky was clear, the temperature hovered around the freezing mark, and the sun was strong. Often when the sun is strong and temperatures relatively warm, the snow conditions deteriorate quickly and become slushy, but conditions this day were still very good when I left at 1:45 p.m. It was a dream ski day.  So much so that I shared some photos on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/p/Cp5oW0BO2yp/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D

Learning to Ski and Ego

The next day I bumped into a friend, Matt, at a coffee shop.  I had seen him Friday from afar in the ski lodge.  He had also enjoyed the great conditions at Poley. We chatted about ski experiences, and I mentioned that I had lived in Sussex, the ski town, for four years when I was in my 30s and that’s when I learned to ski. He had learned while he was very young. I found in my 30s that I was quite slow to learn, and I’m convinced that the main reason for that is my ego got in the way of my development.

For example, I remember one day when I was on the hill, quaking in my skis, my legs aching, and gripping a small spruce tree to steady myself while I avoided pointing my skis down the hill and just giving it a go, learning to control my speed, and learning to ski. 

While I stood there pulling on that poor little tree, a group of kids roared down the hill past me laughing, screaming, and flying past without even the aid of ski poles. They were having a great time and learning quickly. They were unconcerned with my plight.

Two of the kids fell. They laughed uproariously, and then continued down the hill to catch up with their friends.

I didn’t want to fall in the snow. And worse, I didn’t want people I knew to see me fall and then see me struggle to get back on my feet. Getting back to upright, on a slope, wearing skis, is an accomplishment in itself.

In time, I did learn to ski well, but not as quickly as I could have had I pushed my ego out of my way.  

Ego in the Way of Skill Development

I reflect on my development as a skier because I believe that ego gets in the way of much adult learning, for example with the skill of public speaking.  Many people feel they are supposed to be competent and confident at preparing and delivering speeches. Most of these folks have achieved other significant successes, but avoid public speaking of any sort.  I view public speaking as a skill, just like skiing is a skill.

Few professionals need to be competent skiers, but most professionals should have reasonable public speaking skills. I’m sure there are some people who are naturals at public speaking, but for most of us, it’s a learned skill developed through observation, some acquisition of knowledge and techniques, practice of the skill, and supportive feedback and coaching.

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to contact and then visit a local Toastmasters club (www.toastmasters.org) and observe the learning atmosphere.  There is no obligation to join and I expect you’ll be impressed with the structured, yet friendly and supportive experiential learning environment.