A suggestion of quitting windsurfing was the best motivation reader Michael Fairrie ever received. Read on to find out why.
“So I guess you’ll be giving up windsurfing, you certainly won’t have any spare time, that’s what happened to me” was the sagely advice from my neighbour when talking to him outside my house next to my heavily pregnant wife. Then he came in with the second body blow, “You’ll no doubt be selling your gear, and your van.” As we were expecting twin boys I knew I was looking down the barrel of a life changing event, but giving up windsurfing was not something that I had ever even considered, and selling my gear – well hold on a minute.
I’ve lost count on the number of times I’ve been asked, “what size are you rigging up?”, a universal greeting amongst strangers on the beach and old and new windsurfing friends. But more alarming, I’ve also lost track of the numbers of excuses I’ve heard for people quitting windsurfing: work, family, backaches, no spare time and even kitesurfing.
This throw away comment from my neighbour had a real impact, and left me thinking. No more windsurfing?, if it can happen to him can it happen to me, that can’t be right?. Giving up wasn’t even an option I had considered! Was this true?, would I end up being another casualty making excuses for quitting!. No, no way, this throwaway doorstep comment turned out to be the best windsurfing motivation I’d ever received.
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