7 minute read
Almost all injuries I have gone through have taught me something valuable about life. As if it speaks to me somehow, throughout the process. A majority of them occurred while wakeboarding. The only thing I always thought about when recovering, was how much longer till I am back on the water.
And once I do get back, I mean those first cuts through the morning buttery water are always magnificent. There is an immense inspiration boost once I am back after a longer period. Every little trick feels more stylish, everything I do seems more creative. It feels soo good because I missed it so much.
Injuries occur for many different reasons. If you engage in any kind of sports the most common mistake is a lack of preparation. If you do exercise, the number one reason is fatigue or a lack of focus. At one point I swore that if I say – “I am going to try this just one more time” – I don’t do it.
So many of my injuries happened after I was too tired to keep going, but I wanted to go for one more. As for the recent ones I blame my ego with a combination of being foolish. But we will get to that in a little bit.
To everyone out there who ever got injured in any way, think about the conditions leading up to the fall. Was it just a bad day, were you tired, was something else on your mind that day? What was your mental state like at the time? By the end of this article think about it, can you relate to my story in any way?
And for the future, try being more mindful with your actions. Assess your mind and body first thing in the morning, before heading in to the unknown. Being present in a world full of distractions is more important than ever.
Missing & gaining
For everything you have missed, you have gained something else, and for everything you gain, you lose something else. Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote explains the process of learning beautifully. While you are missing that one thing, not being able to express yourself by it, something else takes its place. Usually there is some form of pain involved. In the first instant there is physical pain, especially from the big ones. Initially, that sets the tone of emotional pain as well, like the fear of how bad it is.
How long am I not going to be able to move freely & ride. Since I started doing yoga and meditation, I always wait for that moment where I can sit crosslegged. And trust me, that does not come fast after a knee injury.
With every year that passes the emotional pain starts to eat away at your soul. Overthinking about lessons and reasons for how I end up here every time. I question myself: “What is this one teaching me, what caused it?” What did I have to get rid off on this road, to become more of my self.
Falling or failing
Falling is essential in life. Without falling, or in other words failing, you are not really trying anything.
There’s a deep one to think about. And falling I did, injuries were a part of almost every season in the past twenty five years. At one point both of my shoulders were dislocating intermittently. I hurt my back on one big slam, the other time the rope which was pulling me just snapped, so I landed on the handrail after the start dock. I can no longer count how many times I was rehabilitating my right knee. Last year I landed with my other knee extended fully from about four meters up. In the beginning of this season the same knee popped out backwards and sideways upon landing slightly on my back foot.
Still amazed how nothing was torn from both of these cases, which I am very grateful for. I suppose all of my training was good for something, the question still arises though. Why do you keep on getting injured then Robert? You are so smart from all the knowledge you consume, working on these balance and mobility workouts. You were so damn ready for this summer, you did everything you could to prepare for the season, how come you injured yourself once again?
Life is good
Everything about life just felt so good this spring of 2024. Opportunities lining up from everywhere, I felt confident on and off the water. Winter training was paying off, I haven’t felt this good overall in more than ten years. This was it. I finally managed to balance out my mind and body, most sessions were just perfect Flow. Thoughts disappear and I am just there, doing my thing without a care in the world. Timeless, effortless.
On June third I had an off day. Thought about staying home, maybe think through this big argument I had with myself. Still it was a nice day, so I decided to go with an intention of just doing some lazy laps, nothing too big, just in case. Got a little excited when my friend Miha showed up at the park, it felt great riding with a true old school rider. I went for a trick off the kicker which I have done thousands of times, even in the worst possible conditions. And bam, ended the season once again.
Injuries & ego
Like most things in this life of ours, the ego has two sides. A bright one, and when used for the wrong reasons, a dark side. No longer out there for joy, doing something for my own pleasure and satisfaction. I need more, I have to show how good I am to everyone around me. Because I feel like I am not enough right? This is the dark side of ego, feeling the need to impress someone. Feeling the need to show off means something deep inside my subconscious is broken.
Last year, posing for a photo after an entire day riding. Seen this photographer after I said I was done riding three times that day. I’ll just do this one trick a couple more times, so that I can post a good photo on IG. The ironic part of this story is that the guy had an analog camera, so no photo to show off in the end after all.
The year before when I crashed on a big jump while skiing down the slope with 17 other people at the same time. After finishing third for the second time in a row, my mind said oooh now Im’a show these two! And bam the ego strikes back in my face at the end of the winter, just before the real season starts. I twisted it after being super healthy for about three years, slightly torn my lateral ligament and even cracked a part of my tibia.
On the other side the ego can be our greatest asset. It makes us challenge ourselves, push us forward in life. It keeps us going, when we want to quit. People with a big ego can become overachievers with new goals on every step of the way. Their self esteem is always high. If they manage to balance that ego with some humility, they can in fact be very cool people.
Injuries & changes
I believe that we are all on a journey that we have chosen somehow. When we deviate from that path and start heading in the wrong direction, life will set us back on the right course. Getting injured makes you stop, think & rethink everything. It gives you time away from your passion, sometimes from a distraction.
Working on something or doing it to impress other people is not the way to live. Just do your thing and let the world think what it wants. Do it for your own pleasure, that is how you inspire others to do the same.
Intentions matter, and here is my latest inspiration after destroying another season in the beginning of June. Do not rush into situations. Listen to yourself instead of showing off just for the sake of being seen. They will see you, just be yourself. Listen to your gut, unpack the details later. Pause and reflect deeper when something is on your mind.
Work through a problem, let it sink in, feel the pain. Don’t try to deflect from your path & do not distract yourself when it is time to sit down in silence. You think you have it all figured out, but you don’t! Be humble, take a step back, never let the outside conditions influence your decisions. It only takes one moment of weakness, a couple seconds of losing focus. Can you fully appreciate the latest lesson now Robert?
“Feed the soul, starve the ego” – Adam Goldstein
