I was never good at skateboarding, and that’s partly because I never learnt the lesson of the Halfpipe.
Funnily enough, this lesson extends well outside of skating.
There comes a time in a budding skateboarder’s life when their friends tell them it’s time to try “dropping in” to a halfpipe—which is when you jump on your skateboard at the top a ramp (pictured below) and roll down into the halfpipe.
Without fail, everyone falls over the first time.
Why?
Our instincts are honed and practised over many years so that when we’re falling forward we automatically want to lean backwards. So when dropping in on a halfpipe, we’re fighting years of practised instinct. The only way to stay on your board is by leaning forward into the drop.
The biggest challenge is not dropping in itself, but overcoming the fear that comes with the first fall, and getting back to up to fight your instincts on the second, third, fourth, and fifth try.
These instincts are also there when we’re sharing art, public speaking, playing music, writing publicly, or starting a business.
Any time we bring something new into the world, our instincts tell us to hide. This can turn into months and years of believing we’re not ready.
But just like dropping in to a halfpipe, our first try is almost always a write-off. What matters is overcoming our instincts and trying again.