When You Fail In Your Training

[CamG]

Those of us who are beginers all fear failure and some us have been very good at it!
This is for all of those who are struggling with training, life, etc.
If we never tried, if we never taste defeat how can we savor success?

Why would I say such things?
This past weekend I saw a former reflection of myself at the quarry where many students are taught to dive.
A student was very upset and flustered to the point of giving up.
Defeated, he was left alone to mull things over.
I was taken back to my own experience with OW training, I shared my experience with this student that divers are made not born!

My story, I was a train wreck in the pool a instructors nightmare.
Nose breather, mask issues , but the worst issue HIMSELF!
When my efforts were fruitless I would become a wreck and derail my own progress because I lacked the confidence.
My instructor saw this and inspired me to conquer these demons that had kept me at bay for so long in my everyday life and in my training.
He not only was my instructor but my mentor, my friend!

As this student shared his feelings I felt what he felt, I had been there.
If you are there DO NOT GIVE UP!
Breath and relax, regroup.
If you fail, no biggie just keep trying!
Learn to face YOUR obstacles with a superior attitude.
Commit to overcome and your fears and let the confidence transform your life and training.

Good luck most of us struggled with things to, YOU ARE NOT ALONE!
PM if you need some encouragement.

CamG Keep Diving....Keep Training....Keep Learning!

 

[rongoodman]

I would have probably given up fairly quickly except for two things--I found this community and started to see a "bigger picture" and I tried a Fundies course with Ed Hayes. I was awful--he should have sent me home, but he didn't, and I saw what skilled GUE divers look like in the water. I'm stubborn, and kept plugging away, and I still don't look like that, but I have some cave and tech certs now, and I'm getting better. I'm guessing I'll be doing an Advanced Sidemount course soon to get into some of the cenotes I've seen on line, such as Minotauro cave on Vimeo. (Another thing that kept me going was reading about the struggles of a "weird doctor lady", immortalized in "Hitler isn't AOW"--Lynn's inspired a lot of us.)

 

[Divers Incorporated]

The stories of perserverance, Courage, resolve and commitment are truly inspiring...

 

[Thalassamania]

Ed Hayes is one of the best. An experienced instructor who has "seen it all" and knows that in reality you can do it helps a lot.

 

[TSandM]

Cam, what a wonderful post! I, too, struggled horribly with OW, as the journal linked in my sig line attests. I eventually got to where I could dive reasonably happily (if not very well) in warm water, but I do not think I would have continued to do cold water diving, had I not met NW Grateful Diver. He took me under his wing, and with great patience began to fill in the holes in my understanding and my skills. Then he sent me off to do Fundies, something for which I can never thank him enough.

But I now have a tech cert and a couple of cave certs -- None of it has come easily, but it has all come with time. Best of all, I have skills that let me revel in the water, and have a fantastic time even during some pretty challenging dives. Anybody who feels like giving up should read that journal, and realize that with enough determination, almost anything is possible.

 

[scubadiveilat]

"if you get, sour lemons. Make lemonade of of them"

In diving make the best out of it. By turning things into fun. Enjoy it! Have fun....keep at it....

 

[Belce]

This month is my third year of diving, july 19 is the anniversary. I am going to be in the pool this weekend and the ocean after with first time divers helping them find what I have found.

 

[tstormdiver]

Cam, I have found that by struggling, I learn better. I have learned not to let the failure defeat me. By having problems, the lessons learned trying to succeed, the lessons are not easily forgotten. During my full cave training, it took me 2 yrs & 4 attempts to pass. Each time I did not succeed, I would know what I had to work on. I'd go home, go to the local quarry & practice the skills until they were second nature. When I came to the surface of the water on my graduation dive & my instructor told me I had passed, it made the frustration, hard work & all the tears, worth it. As you know the cave environment is not forgiving & that the basic skills are vital. I have also found that struggling with issues has vastly helped me as an instructor. I can relate & empathize with my students when they struggle, give them some pointers that may help them over come their problems. By giving the students that encouragement, it can make the difference of whether they make it or quit. Diving has become a passion to me & I want to share that love & passion with other,... I want them to love it as much as I do. I take the lessons I've learned from my struggles & try to show my students that "there is light at the end of the tunnel).

 

[EFB]

Cam, I have found that by struggling, I learn better. I have learned not to let the failure defeat me. By having problems, the lessons learned trying to succeed, the lessons are not easily forgotten. During my full cave training, it took me 2 yrs & 4 attempts to pass. Each time I did not succeed, I would know what I had to work on. I'd go home, go to the local quarry & practice the skills until they were second nature. When I came to the surface of the water on my graduation dive & my instructor told me I had passed, it made the frustration, hard work & all the tears, worth it. As you know the cave environment is not forgiving & that the basic skills are vital. I have also found that struggling with issues has vastly helped me as an instructor. I can relate & empathize with my students when they struggle, give them some pointers that may help them over come their problems. By giving the students that encouragement, it can make the difference of whether they make it or quit. Diving has become a passion to me & I want to share that love & passion with other,... I want them to love it as much as I do. I take the lessons I've learned from my struggles & try to show my students that "there is light at the end of the tunnel).

In one of my workouts, the instructor says "without struggle, you don't get strength" and I think that is true and not just of diving. If I had any other instructor in my Discover Scuba experience or even the first confined water dive, I would have walked away...and though I am still in training, I am starting to see the big picture and I know I would be missing out on something great. Thanks to all the patient and kind instuctors who have the ability to turn someone from a panic to a diver.

 

[DevonDiver]

Was that poem?