I don't think I told you this

Another ski trip story for you.

In my last email, I mentioned "a series of incredibly frustrating falls." But what I didn't mention was that...

Those frustrating falls led to a big breakthrough.

After watching me fumble and fall my way down a hill way above my skill level, my friend Cole looks at me and says:

"I don't mean to sound like I'm trying to coach you or anything, but do you know how to do an 'S Turn?'"

"No, what's that?"

"Basically, it's where you turn from side to side going down the hill. If you watch the more advanced skiers -- it's how they control their speed."

Later that afternoon, Cole gave me an S Turn tutorial, and it completely changed the trip for me.

See, when you first start skiing, you learn how to do 2 moves:

"Pizza" and "french fries."

"Pizza" is when you point your skis together like a triangle. It's what you do when you want to slow down.

"French fries" is when you point your skis straight forward. It's what you do when you want to go fast.

I had been trying to slowly "pizza" and zig zag my way down hills. But once a hill gets to a certain incline, you can't really use "pizza" to slow down.

Since the hill is so steep, you end up sliding down it even though you want to stop.

But when you do an S Turn, you keep your skis pointed together (french fries), and you quickly zig zag from right to left -- switching your skis from parallel with the hill to perpendicular over and over again.

The result is that you go a little faster than when you just try to "pizza" it the whole way...

But you also have a lot more control.

Here's the scary thing about the S Turn, though:

As you're curving from side to side, there's a certain point in each turn where you are facing straight down the hill with your skis pointed straight forward.

You pick up speed.

And it's scary.

But if you can take a deep breath and finish the turn, you get control of your speed -- and you slow down.

I think this same concept applies to both business and personal growth.

At a certain point, you have to put yourself in a position that feels uncomfortable. If you resist this discomfort -- you'll "pizza" your way through business and life.

Slipping, sliding, falling, and ending up wherever the slope decides to spit you out.

But if you can find the courage to take a deep breath, point your skis straight downhill, then complete the turn...

To get uncomfortable and finish what you set out to do...

Things get a lot more fun.

And, surprisingly, this willingness to get uncomfortable gives you a lot more confidence too.

Robert