The Tao of Snowboarding

I just said farewell to 2025 and welcomed 2026 with a week of snowboarding with my family at Snowmass, which has now become a family tradition. (Side note: Most of my family skis, though I try not to hold that against them. If you know, you know.) This year in particular reminded me of the parallels between what I’ve learned on the mountain and what I’ve learned in my laps around the sun. So, at the risk of posting something that looks like it was written by ChatGPT (I promise it wasn’t), here are a few lessons that stand out…

Lesson 1: Things are never as bad as they seem

The early snow this season was the worst on record. Up until the day we flew in, most of the lifts had been closed, as were most of the runs our family enjoys the most. All signs were pointing to a rather dire week on the mountain. As our plane landed several hours late on Saturday night (par for the course flying into Aspen), the flurries were just starting. By the time we woke up Sunday morning, 11 inches of fresh snow had fallen overnight. Was it ideal? Far from it. Yet it was enough to open some of the terrain that had been closed and make most of the terrain that was open very rideable. With our knowledge of the mountain and tips from people in the know, we were able to find some good snow and have a great time. And four days later, we got another 5 inches of fresh snow, allowing us to end the week on an even better note. How often does that happen in life? When the situation seems dire, it’s almost never as bad as it seems. Accept the reality for what it is (avoidance never helps) and come up with a plan.

Lesson 2: Conditions are variable

Throughout the week, conditions on the mountain remained quite variable. One minute, you’re riding through fresh powder, and the next you’re on hard-pack or dodging rocks in the snow. I chuckled about this all week. However I was riding based on the snow conditions on any part of the mountain, I would likely have to adjust to different conditions in 100 yards. Even the flight home threw us some curveballs. A cancelled return flight required a change of travel plans and a four-hour cab ride to Denver so we could catch a red-eye back to North Carolina. It reminded me of raising teenagers…and advising clients in tech industries that are changing almost by the minute. Be ready to adjust on the fly, because you never know when life is going to throw the next curveball.

Lesson 3: K.I.S.S.

The mechanics of snowboarding in difficult terrain are complicated. Weight transfers, inclination vs. angulation, edge angle, knee steering, active retraction vs. passive absorption, upper body separation, choosing lines…the list goes on. Nikki, my instructor on day 3, watched me for the first couple of runs before giving me something to work on. What she gave me was simple. Left hip on the toe side turn. More specifically, engage the left hip into the turn earlier and drive it deeper across the board through the turn. She knew doing this would clean up several other aspects of my mechanics, and she also knew it would be easier for me to think about one thing while riding steep bumps instead of trying to think about 3 or 4 things. And it worked. Within minutes, my confidence in toe-side turns had increased significantly and elevated my riding to a new level. I try to apply this same principle to complex problems at work, whether it’s a business transformation project for an enterprise-level client or a go-to-market strategy for a startup. Identify the one or two things that matter most right now and make those the focal point. The rest will come. Keep it simple, silly.

Lesson 4. Look around AND keep your head down

It’s not an either/or, especially in variable conditions. Of course it’s important to look ahead to pick lines and check your progress, to look left and right to maintain awareness of other riders/skiers, and to look back up the hill periodically to see who’s coming behind you. At this same time, this year emphasized how important it is to glance down frequently to check for rocks, ice patches, and other surprises that may be lurking in the snow. Oh…and also to spot your landing after getting airborne popping off a roller or jump, because even in less than ideal conditions, getting airborne is awesome. The same is true in the professional world. Forward-looking vision and plans are exciting and important. Executing the now is equally critical.

Lesson 5: Sometimes the lesson you need is one you’ve heard before

On our last day, I took a lesson with Scott, an instructor with whom I’d taken lessons several years ago. After watching me on the first couple of runs, Scott began talking to me about how I could benefit from more dynamic weight transfers through turns in steeper bumps. I’d had lessons with other instructors who brought this up in years past, but it hadn’t yet stuck. Why not? In years past, I was still trying to figure out how not to be in survival mode in tough terrain, so accessing the next level of performance just wasn’t in the cards. This year, I had finally moved beyond survival mode, thanks in part to Nikki’s help a few days earlier. I could finally put the weight transfer lesson to use in harder terrain. And what a difference it made. Same lesson, same concepts. Only this time, I was ready. If I had a dollar for every time that happened in my professional life (whether as the student or the teacher), I’d have a lot more dollars.

Lesson 6: Relationships matter

Over the past 10+ years, we’ve gotten to know lots of people at Snowmass. Seeing old friends and making new ones is one of the highlights of our trip every year. My wife skis every year with Denise, her favorite ski instructor who has become a dear family friend over the past 10+ years. Our kids have been able to take lessons with some of the same instructors for multiple years. I’ve gotten to know what seems like half of the snowboarding instructors on the mountain, and that circle of friends grows each year as we meet new people. Almost everywhere I now go on that mountain, I see familiar faces. And a side benefit…they make sure we’re in good hands every year regardless of who we’re riding or skiing with. I’ve been similarly blessed in my professional world. I’ve had countless mentors, colleagues, clients and vendors that I now count as friends, as well as friends that have become mentors, colleagues, clients and vendors. That too comes with a side benefit…if I need an expert’s perspective on just about any topic, help is usually just a phone call away.

Lesson 7: Every day is a chance to learn and get better

This year, I noticed myself having more fun than ever in challenging terrain. Same terrain I had been riding for years, worse-than-usual snow conditions, happier me. How did this happen? I’ve worked at getting better as a rider, year after year, run after run. I take lessons every year, I take notes after each lesson, and I review the notes the following year to remind myself of what I’ve been working on. It’s not perfectionism…just an ongoing journey to get better at something I love to do. I embrace the growth zone knowing that spending time in the growth zone makes my comfort zone bigger and my panic zone smaller. The more I learn, the more fun I have. And isn’t that a metaphor for life…

Bonus lesson: Gratitude matters

We had so much to be grateful for on this trip. The beauty of the mountains. The friends we’ve made over the years. Progress our kids have made both on the mountain and in life. Our health that allows us to enjoy outdoor sports. A welcome close to what had been a crazy and chaotic 2025, and the start of a new year that will undoubtedly bring new adventures.

So there you have it. A week of snowboarding to remind me about life…recounted without a whiff of ChatGPT. I can’t wait to see what 2026 has in store!