Embrace Failing 

My Bongo Design prototypes had a lot of failures before its success

Every time we learned something new we fail at some level.   You have to, that is learning, making mistakes along the way so you can grow.  All of this goes with my last three post, that the details are hard to master, but embracing failing at them is a big step in growing.

There are so many examples I could use, my drumming, my cycling, consulting, yacht designs, my bad writing, photography, video, but for this one I will stick with the sailing theme and save the others for future post.

One of my kayak designs that took a lot of prototype failures before this beauty

When I was spending most of my sailing time singlehanded, I would keep details notes for each day sailing.  And I would have what I called work on Failure Days, going out and only doing the things I had been failing at.  Jibe sets smoothly, tack-sets, headsail changes with hanks when it was rough at night.  These are just a few of the items I knew were weak points.  So I would dive in pick one, repeating it for hours and hours.  Being on my own I would talk out loud about what was working and what I was failing at while recording it.  Over time the failures would diminish but at times pop back.  This would make me laugh, not because I did not care, but because I knew I could do it.  Don’t beat yourself up, enjoy the failures and it will be a fun process to help you grow, (get the theme).

A-Sail training session

Another example I am asked about often is learning to wing foil. My response is learn the basics of the wing on land.  At that point it is about getting on the board to balance and move in light wind for a couple sessions.  Then go for it in more breeze wipe out and, enjoy the falls as it is all part of learning. 

Most responses I hear are, it looks hard and I don’t want all those falls.  That is fine wing foiling is not for everyone.

Paul taking a fun fall while learning to foil jibe

When I started with Carol we fell often, and laughed out loud having fun at the wipe outs.  Then as we progressed we kept falling when learning to foil jibe.  But sticking with it and enjoying the process it worked and we started nailing jibes. Of course we still fall, but not as often.  Laughing and having fun with the failures does not stop us from improving, it keeps our minds open and lets us dive right back in.  As I did yesterday after two and a half month off from winging. I had a blast, fell getting up the first time in a lull, and fell in one of my jibs.  But it was a session full of smiles and the rest of my jibes I nailed.

To me wing foiling it a great character building sport for sailors.  You are on the water, rigging is fast and easy, you can launch at most beaches or ramps where there is enough water and wind.  But you need to fail by falling a lot, leave the ego at home.  Or better yet, toss the ego out, always.  At the same time it brings you back to the raw love of sailing when you were a kid learning something different every time you go out.  

Embrace Failing, it will make you smile and bring you to new levels of self fulfillment making everything you do better.  

Have Fun Every Day, See you soon, Paul

Wind and Wing Foiling Seven Video Collections I have on Vimeo. Use dropdown arrow to see all seven. Enjoy

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