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Wakeboarding is a water sport most usually done on a lake and requires being pulled by a boat. Now most people probably wouldn't think that wakeboarding is full of life lessons, but it is.
I began learning to wakeboard about a year and a half ago, and it has surprisingly taught me a lot about myself and life in general. Wakeboarding has given me a better understanding of perseverance and how to take constructive criticism. |
Perseverance
Wakeboarding is a sport that requires a ton of patience. When I first decided to try it, I had seen my friends do it many times before and made it look like a piece of cake, so I assumed it would be the same for me. Boy was I wrong. Getting up on a wakeboard is a tough thing to teach somebody, and even tougher when you’re the one who can't do it. I believe I had to go out to the lake three times, and during each of those trips I probably attempted to get up on the board twenty times before I finally was able to do it. There would be times when I’d get up but not quite stabilize myself, and then the next time not get up at all. Being so close, but not close enough can create a lot of self-doubt. Fortunately I was able to convince myself to keep going and persevere. This experience taught me that no matter how many times I fall, I have to keep getting back up and try again.
Taking Criticism
Throughout my entire life, I’ve had issues with taking criticism. Whether it came from soccer, school, or home life, it always irked me. I think the problem came from the idea that somebody was telling me I had been doing something wrong. I’ll get the idea that I will be able to do something, and if I can’t, it becomes tough to handle. Because of wakeboarding I believe that I have finally begun to understand how important it is to take criticism and use it effectively. My friends would yell out helpful hints of what not to do from the back of the boat and every time I had to get more help, I became more frustrated. Once I cleared my head and realized that their only motive was to help, it became easier to take. After finally getting up on the board, I could look back and see that what they were saying was right, I just wasn’t using the help. Now, if I ever get to the point of frustration due to criticism, I can look back and understand that the best way to handle it is to take the criticism and use it to better myself.
Wakeboarding is a sport that requires a ton of patience. When I first decided to try it, I had seen my friends do it many times before and made it look like a piece of cake, so I assumed it would be the same for me. Boy was I wrong. Getting up on a wakeboard is a tough thing to teach somebody, and even tougher when you’re the one who can't do it. I believe I had to go out to the lake three times, and during each of those trips I probably attempted to get up on the board twenty times before I finally was able to do it. There would be times when I’d get up but not quite stabilize myself, and then the next time not get up at all. Being so close, but not close enough can create a lot of self-doubt. Fortunately I was able to convince myself to keep going and persevere. This experience taught me that no matter how many times I fall, I have to keep getting back up and try again.
Taking Criticism
Throughout my entire life, I’ve had issues with taking criticism. Whether it came from soccer, school, or home life, it always irked me. I think the problem came from the idea that somebody was telling me I had been doing something wrong. I’ll get the idea that I will be able to do something, and if I can’t, it becomes tough to handle. Because of wakeboarding I believe that I have finally begun to understand how important it is to take criticism and use it effectively. My friends would yell out helpful hints of what not to do from the back of the boat and every time I had to get more help, I became more frustrated. Once I cleared my head and realized that their only motive was to help, it became easier to take. After finally getting up on the board, I could look back and see that what they were saying was right, I just wasn’t using the help. Now, if I ever get to the point of frustration due to criticism, I can look back and understand that the best way to handle it is to take the criticism and use it to better myself.