How Skateboarding Teaches Us On and Off the Board

Skateboarding can teach us many life lessons, and not just from doing the big stuff. What’s some wisdom you’ve gained from being a skater that crosses over into the rest of your life?

Failing on or off my skateboard, I’m always comparing my life trials to my skateboarding trials. Fall down three times get back up four times! Seeing my life in this view for a couple of years, my approach to tedious jobs was humbled due to my early days in skateboarding. A great saying I was blessed with was, “if something isn’t working if your life, see it as a trick — first change your entire approach to the problem/trick, second, change your attitude and then trust the process.”

I am always intrigued when I get the chance to skate at homes where the owners have built themselves a safe place to skate. Each home owner/ramp builder always inspires me through their wisdom, from filing with the city to get permits to allow night sessions, to the money savings applied to the skateable art, and the beginning stages of thinking, “man is this possible?” Or, “can I pull this project off?” Every homeowner has shared valuable knowledge of having a strong passion for what we do (skating). This includes each sharing wisdom like, “being patient is a part of the timing for getting back yard skateparks finished” and insights such as, “if you want it bad enough you will make it happen no matter how soon or how far out you want it.” Also, “remember if you aren’t out there working consistently for yourself someone else is out there getting it done for themselves, so why not be the one working for it.”

Many of us can’t keep off our boards, and it’s hard to explain that devotion and love to our non-skater friends and family. Skateboarding seems to be very much a main part of your life. How would you describe the ongoing appeal and connection?

The feeling I continually get from skateboarding is inspiration. I am inspired to lead a healthy life so I can skate for hours well into my 80s. I am inspired by all those that come from the toughest backgrounds who choose to use skating as a positive way out — I am proud of you. I am inspired by the passion a skate community can create when they gather for anything important. I am inspired by the board crafters because I have pressed/cut/sanded my own board. I am inspired by skateboard deck artists because I have designed a few custom skateboards. I am very lucky to consider skateboarding as a large roll in my life.