There’s a moment that happens whether you’re in the gym, on a mountain, on a trail, or trying something completely new with your body. You hesitate. Not because you can’t do it, but because you’re suddenly aware of how you might look doing it.

A little awkward. A little off-balance. A little… not good (yet).

One of my clients said something recently that stopped me in my tracks:

That’s it. That’s the shift.

Because here’s the truth about mountain culture (and gym culture too):

We say we value progress, grit, and pushing limits…

…but we also quietly reward looking effortless. The smooth line. The perfect run. The clean lift. The person who “just gets it.” And that can make the learning phase feel… exposed.

But let’s zoom out for a second:

Every skier you admire yard-saled at some point. Every rider caught an edge. Every climber fell. Every lifter missed reps. Every athlete you respect looked unsure before they looked strong.

Skill-based movement is supposed to look messy at first.

That’s not a problem, that’s the process.

This is where growth mindset actually matters (not just as a buzzword):

A fixed mindset says:
👉 “If I don’t look good at this, maybe I’m not good at this.”

A growth mindset says:
👉 “Looking awkward is evidence that I’m learning.”

A fixed mindset avoids:

• Trying new terrain
• Picking up new skills
• Adding weight
• Being seen as a beginner

A growth mindset leans into:

• Reps over perfection
• Curiosity over judgment
• Progress over comparison

And here’s the part most people miss:

Growth mindset isn’t just thinking positive. It’s a skill you cultivate. It’s something you actively practice in real time:

• When you wobble instead of sticking the landing
• When the lift feels heavier than you expected
• When your timing is off
• When you’re the least experienced person in the room

It sounds like:
👉 “Good. This means I’m in the right place.”
👉 “What can I learn from this rep?”
👉 “I don’t need to be the best, I need to stay in it.”

Also… let’s clear something up:

Most people around you are not judging you.

They’re:

• In their own heads
• Focused on their own performance
• Dealing with their own insecurities

Just like you...and if someone is watching you? You still don’t owe them perfection, or anything for that matter.

Especially in mountain towns…

Where performance and identity get intertwined. Where being “good” at something can feel like it matters more than it should. Where competition, spoken or unspoken, is always kind of there. But the people who stay in this life long-term? They’re not the ones who looked the best right away.

They’re the ones who:

• Kept showing up
• Stayed coachable
• Tried things before they felt ready
• Let themselves be beginners (again and again)

So here’s your reminder:

If you feel awkward… good. If you’re figuring it out… good. If you’re not the best in the room, on the mountain, or in the gym… GOOD.

That’s not a sign to stop. That’s a sign you’re exactly where growth happens. And if you need something to anchor to:

Other people’s opinions of you are none of your business.

But your effort? Your mindset? Your willingness to keep going?

That’s everything.

NBC-HWC | ACSM-CPT

Mental PEAKS: The Rooms That Change You

There’s a certain kind of safety in being the person who knows what they’re doing. The one people come to with questions. The one who’s experienced, capable, respected.

To be clear, there’s nothing wrong with that. You’ve earned it. But, if you stay there too long, something subtle starts to happen: you stop being stretched. Not because you’re not capable of more, but because your environment no longer requires it.

One of my coaching clients recently shared an experience that really stuck with me. They were at a conference in their field, someone who is, by all accounts, an expert. Well-known, respected, the kind of person others look to for guidance. And, instead of staying in that role, they made a conscious decision to do something different.

When they spoke with younger, newer professionals, they didn’t just offer advice or share what they knew. They did that, yes, but then they got curious. They asked questions. They listened. They wanted to understand how these newer voices were thinking, what they were seeing, what felt possible to them.

Afterward, they told me how surprising it was. How energizing it felt. How much connection it created. And, maybe most interestingly, how much they learned. New perspectives. New ideas. New opportunities they hadn’t considered!

That’s the part we don’t talk about enough. Being “the smartest one in the room” isn’t just limiting because you’re not being challenged, it’s limiting because it can quietly close you off from curiosity, and curiosity is where growth actually lives.

There’s a body of research around this idea that shows we develop fastest when we’re in environments that are just beyond our current level, what’s often referred to as the zone of proximal development. It’s the space where you’re not completely out of your depth, but you’re also not fully comfortable. You have to pay attention. You have to adapt. You have to stretch.

And one of the most reliable ways to get there is to put yourself in rooms where you are not the most experienced person. Not the strongest, not the most skilled, not the one with all the answers.

Of course, that’s easier said than done. Because walking into those rooms can feel… exposing. It can bring up insecurity, imposter syndrome, the quiet question of “Do I actually belong here?”

Especially if your identity is tied to being the capable one, the knowledgeable one, the one who has it together, stepping into a space where that’s no longer true (at least not fully) can feel like a threat. So we avoid it. Or we stay where it’s comfortable.

But what if we reframed that discomfort? What if instead of reading it as a signal to pull back, we recognized it as a signal that we’re in the right place? Because the goal isn’t to always be the expert. The goal is to keep evolving.

Maybe it’s not even about finding rooms where you’re completely outmatched? Maybe it’s about finding rooms where there’s a mix, where you can contribute and be challenged, where you can share what you know and stay open to what you don’t?

Where you can hold both:

“I have experience here.” and "There’s more for me to learn.”

That’s where the real magic seems to happen. Not in proving yourself, but in expanding yourself.

✨ Join the Morocco VIP ✨ Next September, Julz and I are hosting Power in Practice: Morocco, an 8-day retreat filled with movement, culture, adventure, incredible food, and deep connection. Think: • Two nights exploring Marrakech • Five nights at a stunning retreat lodge on the coast in Essaouira • Daily yoga, meditation & strength practices • Camel rides on the beach, a Moroccan cooking class, cultural tours, and more Right now we’re opening the VIP List, and those on the list get: • First access to registration • First choice of rooms • The lowest pricing we’ll offer​ • €500 off retail pricing If you feel even a spark of curiosity, join the VIP list here: Join VIP VIP registration closes March 15, and once we open registration the best rooms will go quickly. If Morocco has ever been on your list… this might be your moment.

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