In ice hockey, the ability to turn quickly at speed is a huge advantage. Turns present an opportunity to drive a play or react to an opponent, and in either case the acceleration out of a turn gives an advantage to the skater.
A drill we used to do was “circles” where we’d line up in the corner of the boards, and starting from the defensive zone faceoff circle, we would go at top speed around the top edge of all five faceoff circles.
The point was to keep the center of gravity low and work on cross-over skating. The lower you are to the ice, the sturdier you are. And when skating at top speed you must have a low center of gravity to hold the edge.
I share this story with my kids because it’s a good metaphore for life. It’s okay to fall, especially if you are giving it all you have. Falling does not mean someone is a failure. Failure is okay because it’s a learning opportunity.
We are not defined by our mistakes. We are defined by what we do next. That takes humility and self awareness. That’s the real skill to learn.
Getting back up quickly and focusing on the next play is usually a good path forward. And when falling happens in the same spot on the ice or the same body position, it tells you where to up your game, and where your blind spots are.
There are things inside of my control, like:
Don’t let those become excuses. Failures are the best teacher and are often overlooked because it’s uncomfortable to see my own flaws. The important thing to know is that my flaws don’t mean I am flawed.
Know your limits by trying to push past them, and grow where you find the gaps.