It’s strange how logic and adrenaline can be next to each other, as on the edge of a tennis court or in a spreadsheet or freezing mountain. For example, diving. There is a formula. A height. Will of man. If you’re scared, gravity doesn’t care. You have to make a split-second choice: go now, twist, keep tight, hands like blades, or belly-flop and get a round of applause from the crowd. In the end, all the training in chlorine pools comes down to one jump. See more on Adam McManus Etobicoke
People adore great drama, especially when it comes to cold and danger, like a snow accident or a backhand that looks like poetry. Skiers standing at the top before the first turn feel both excited and scared. The mountain never talks back, but it punishes people who are unsure. No wax? I wish you hadn’t. Do you trust an old set of goggles? You can only see a white haze. One wrong move and you’re rolling. All the discipline you get from dryland training only helps a little.
Does anyone play tennis in the July sun? Say you are two sets behind. Hands shake and racquet sweats. You throw the ball. A breath. The crowd leans in. Failure and grandeur flash by in a split second. You hit an ace. Then make two mistakes. Tennis is a nerve-wracking sport. The tape on the net is thicker than the boundary between genius and tragedy.
Change over. Money, which is the least probable thing to cause emotional conflict, can also throw you off balance. You see the numbers go up. Then fall. It’s not wind or gravity, yet it still makes your heart race. There are currents in every market that are as hard to see as undertows at midnight. Did you forget a decimal? Take losses. Hedge badly? You will live to regret it. The rush of excitement is as strong as that of lagging skis.
These fields are similar in certain ways. Each one is merciless, with glory hard to come by and calamity waiting at the edges. People who love sports and people who watch the market both look at patterns, make predictions, and sometimes eat humble pie. You have to trust your gut and not worry about what might happen. Sometimes, though, spreadsheets and shot charts can save your life.
People who have been through a lot frequently give the best counsel, not books. You can find insight by diving in and getting water in your nose, crashing on a mogul field, or losing your shirt on an investment. No need for a lecture. Laughter helps. Anyone who has fallen off a chairlift or lost a point with a wild swing can tell you that sometimes you win and sometimes you have to snowplow to the bottom and start over.
Is it easy to be confident? Not ever. Repetition, staying strong, and a well-timed scream can do a lot of good. No matter what, whether it’s a jump, a serve, or an obstinate market, uncertainty is always there. Stay quick. Give it a try. Sometimes luck rewards the bold, or at least gives them a story to tell.