The Certior Group recently co-sponsored a skiing/learning event under the auspices of the Jackson Institute – a collaboration with Activ8 and Empowered Wealth.

Much of the event focused on the concept of our “comfort zone” and getting out of that comfort zone into the “learning zone”. The basic idea is that we don’t learn when we “play it safe”. We learn “experientially” when we are uncomfortable; when we must deal with and overcome our fears and anxieties.
Experiential learning was most obvious during the second afternoon of the event when the skiing conditions were the most challenging.

A few of the participants reported moments of effortless skiing; perhaps even a “flow state”. Steven Kotler, author and researcher on flow states, suggests that a 4% differential between a challenge and one’s skill level (i.e., 4% out of one’s comfort zone) is the sweet spot for learning and getting into a flow state. 1 The insight here is that achieving and sustaining “flow states” is the key to high performance in skiing, sports, business, and life.
In the end, all participants regardless of skill level said that they enjoyed the skiing. By supporting others to become the best that they can be, we also created numerous shared experiences. Upon reflection, I suspect that for most of the participants the event wasn’t primarily about the skiing but rather the personal connections made and the many lessons learned.
1) Frequently Asked Questions on Flow, www.stevenkotler.com