Commit to the Turns: Lessons from Skiing and Life
Go all in or not at all - having a confident and experienced "friend" can help
Introduction
A Father-Daughter Adventure
Picture a snowy mountain slope, the chill in the air, and the excitement of skiing alongside your daughter. We have been here before but a year ago, and a year is a long time in a little life!
The Confidence Crisis
My daughter stood at the top of the slope, her skis wobbling. Fear clung to her like snowflakes on her jacket. She had lost confidence after an almost immediate fall.
The Tumbles and Doubts
Fatherly Encouragement
I tried to reassure her. "You've got this," I said. But each fall chipped away at her determination. Doubt crept in.
The problem for those new to skiing, is that if you make a turn slowly or hesitantly, you spend longer pointing the skis down the mountain, and rapidly gain speed making everything more difficult and scary.
If however you are able to make the turn rapidly and smoothly, you don’t gain speed and you don’t feel like you are loosing control.
This however takes confidence.
The Trust Gap
As her father, I wanted to be her guide, but my words alone couldn't restore her confidence. She needed more.
The Professional Instructor
Enter Pauli: We quickly got hold of an instructor—a man with skin like well worn leather, a smile and a glint in his eye, a skier for at least the last 50 years, with a calm demeanour. He didn't just teach technique; he built trust. He assured my daughter that the turns were conquerable.
The Turning Point
With her trust in the expert, she decided to commit. She leaned into the turns, trusting her skis and her instructor. Almost immediately she was back up and skiing better than me!
The Transformation
From Fear to Flow
Rapidly, her turns became smoother. Fear transformed into exhilaration. She no longer hesitated; she flowed down the slope. Her laughter echoed through the mountains.
Life Beyond the Slopes
As I watched her flourish, I realized this wasn't just about skiing. It was about life. Commitment is the key. Whether it's facing challenges, pursuing dreams, or building relationships, commitment propels us forward.
Why Commitment Matters
All or nothing
I have seen a number of surgeries implement a triage system either through the support of the course or on their own. Of all that have been successful, they have fully committed to the system and have flourished.
Several practices that I have seen, when helping assist with other aspects of their work, have implemented half a system, perhaps using a receptionist to use some software to advised where to navigate patients or they have put a GP in to the system for only a small portion of the open hours.
This “half way house” is truly neither here nor there, how often have you been impressed with the 111 algorithm’s disposition for a patient.
You also miss out on most of the true efficiency savings that a true clinician led triage system gives you.
The Trust Bridge
Like my daughter, it can be scary taking on a new unfamiliar route to doing things. Trusting her instructor, she was able to make the scary first turns which rapidly lead to the self confidence that the new way of getting down a hill could be great fun! By using a bridge of confidence from the instructor to herself allowed this to be a fun and quick experience.
If you feel you would benefit from your instructor to help you take these new turns in your stride check out the course.
Conclusion
However you approach implementing your triage system, please whatever you do, commit and go all in. Your won’t regret it.
But if you need help Please get in touch!
Remember, life's slopes are waiting. Are you ready to commit?