Innovation? Do things you’ve never done before!

Several people who have read this blog for a long time have commented that I seem to be a bit obsessed with skiing. I am!

And here’s the thing — I only took up sking at the age of 40! I decided at that point that it would be a pretty smart thing to do. And it is likely the smartest decision I have ever made: rather than a time of dark gloom, winter is now a time of bright opportunity! There’s hills to be had!

I’ve gone from being barely able to get down a to skiing some of the world’s largest resorts; last year, I was able to ski the Swiss Alps — and even blended that into a quirky little, self-absorbed video. I think that there is an important innovation message here: you can only innovate if you do things you’ve never done before!

For the March break, I’m off to Big White, BC. When I’m not on the hills, I plan on reading the book The Story of Modern Skiing by John Fry. I found out about this book after being called by a reporter in Colorado for my views on the future of skiing; the article that resulted ended up in newspapers in San Francisco, Colorado, Alaska and elsewhere. The article covers John’s insight and my own.

I will probably learn quite a bit more than I profess to know once I get through John’s book — he is the former editor of SKI, America’s oldest ski magazine, and is someone who has truly helped to define the sport. I also expect that I will continue to learn quite a bit more about how to ski — it is an adventure in which a rank-beginner-turned-intermediate can never stop learning!

If you really, really need to reach me, then send an e-mail!

I can’t promise you that you’ll get a rapid response; I’m not taking my Blackberry onto the hill! You will get a response within the day, though!