Ira Riklis talks about how learning to ski and overcome fears is part of becoming an expert skier. It also applies to life. There isn’t a shortcut unfortunately. You have to face the fear of falling (or failing).

“…there is no easy way to learn to make an expert turn. Let me repeat, there is NO EASY WAY to learn to make an expert turn…A non-expert skier is scared of falling. Having broken a leg and an arm, I can understand why. The tendency is to lean into the slope so as to feel confident…”

What’s the difference between the beginner and the expert? faith in your abilities and the courage to go down a steep mountain face first. Yes, the scariest way possible.

“In an expert turn, the skier has to have faith that every move will be executed properly and on time without thought. That means that if anything is off, the effect will be to launch yourself, not unlike a missile, down the mountain, FACE FIRST.”

Ira Riklis says it’s a painful process of learning — and it hurts!

“I named this maneuver a “face plant” because it was like planting your ski pole but using your face instead. In the effort to learn to be an expert skier, I performed many a face plant. To truly understand how difficult this process is, you must realize how painful each face plant is. Not only have you been punched in the face, but some of that snow (often ice) feels like a brick.”

He says the pain is difficult but worth it:

“The pain radiates down your entire body, especially your chest because after the face plant you land with a thud on your chest. Then there is the fact that your face is covered in freezing snow, which as it melts now saturates your clothing.

But after some practice the payoff is there and the pain is a past memory:

“I don’t remember the face plants really anymore; but every time I glide down a slope and experience the exhilaration, I don’t know if I can even find words to explain the joy and thrill that I feel. Mike got me to understand that I had to trust the turn and that I would eventually be rewarded by being able to complete the turn.”

The result of your hard work to master something difficult is joy. This is a microcasm for your life. It’s not easy to face but to be truly great you must go through suffering. Not around it. Not above or below it. But through it.