How Gymnastics Taught Me to Man Up, Get Tough and Crush Fear

THE ART OF ASS KICKING

Part 2 in a brilliant series of posts summing up what Stanford alumni Jason Shen learned in a long gymnastics career.

… In gymnastics, you have to force yourself to confront your fears head on, everyday, in practice AND in competitions.

One of the most important characteristics of a great gymnast is the ability to overcome fear and do what needs to be done. The stakes are higher: if you mess up a layup or a serve, not much is going to happen If you mess up on a Kovacs (the skill pictured above …) you could hit your face or slam your chest into a metal bar. And trust me, that does not feel good. …

Jason posted advice under these headings:

• Reduce Risk
• Increase Your Capacity
• Man Up and Just Do It

This is a must read – How Gymnastics Taught Me to Man Up, Get Tough and Crush Fear