Have you ever tried to balance on a diving board while a lot of people were watching? Your knees feel like jelly. The air is thick with excitement, and the water below seems even farther away. The key isn’t to be perfect; it’s to have the guts to jump. Some people enjoy the excitement. Some people like the quietness of being underwater, where everything is still except for bubbles and your heartbeat. Olympians feel that being focused is more important than having strong muscles. Isn’t it crazy? Get in touch Adam McManus Etobicoke
Change the scenario. Now think about snow falling. The wind is blowing in your face as you ski down the slope. It’s an art to carve turns with your knees bent, your eyes open, and your body leaning too far forward to avoid falling. The best skiers realize that pride is a tricky thing, but gravity is your friend. I bit the powder so hard that snow got into my goggles. I laughed so much that I forgot how cold it was. Racing with teammates? No matter if you finish first or land face-first in a drift, friendships are built into those crazy rides.
Tennis and other sports need a distinct speed. The court is a stage, and the racket is your instrument. Some days you serve perfectly, the balls dance on the lines, and you feel like you’re ten feet tall. On some days, the net pulls in every shot you make. Yes, it’s frustrating, but it’s also weirdly fulfilling. Tennis exercises make you do things again and over again. Those peaceful games with pals in the park at night are the ones that really stay with you. The laughs and teasing last longer than any trophy shine.
Now, instead of rackets and boards, use spreadsheets and cash. It looks like finance is boring, but try reading a company’s balance statement before you have your morning coffee. If you take your time, numbers will tell you stories. Stocks go up and down like tennis balls, and almost no one can guess where they’ll end up. Investors like to talk about how patient they are. The truth is that they can be rather stubborn at times. The market is not your buddy. It’s more like the crazy horse that everyone believes they can tame, but then it bucks them off.
Athletes and investors have some characteristics that few people talk about, such being crazy persistent, dealing with defeats, and wanting to take risks, even if they are calculated. It feels the same to stand on the verge of anything new, whether you’re buying ski boots or stocks. Everyone makes mistakes at some point, like wearing mismatched socks, having misty goggles, or typing the wrong thing in an Excel column.
A friend who skis once said, “We all eat snow.” The winners just get up faster. That kind of tenacious hope comes out in portfolio reviews, boardroom fights, and tennis matches as the sun is going down. If you accept falling, you’ll discover methods to get back up, whether it’s on the court, on the ice, or after a market meltdown.
True stories? One example is a diver who trains for weeks for a single meet, misses the board, and fails. She doesn’t hide; instead, she comes into practice the next morning with a quip in hand. Sometimes, investors acquire bad stocks too. People who are successful laugh, learn, and move on.
So, whether you splash, crash, volunteer hazardous shots, or read earnings reports at midnight, keep in mind that we’re all new at something. That’s what makes it so exciting.