When the Pond Becomes an Ocean

Last week Joe Jackson from PNW Paddleboards sent us an e-mail with some thoughts as he was preparing to head down to the Gorge Paddle Championships. Paddling is a great place to reflect and share moments of gratitude and experiences. Joe has found inspiration from the Paddle Monster Community, maybe you will too. You may have seen in the Paddle Logger App some new share cards relating to a challenge they are running at the moment. Check out the link below and join in the fun!

Over to Joe;

Reading music: Final Countdown—Europe

In a few days, I’m headed to the Gorge Downwind Championships in Hood River. If you don’t paddle, you might not know this is one of the events for people obsessed with wind, waves, and going fast on little boats or boards. To say I’m feeling a little angsty would be an understatement.

Lately, I’ve found myself part of the Paddle Monster community over on Mighty Networks. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s basically the Avengers of paddle sports. World champion SUP athletes. Outrigger canoe legends. Surfski phenoms. Coaches whose names are on the short list of the best in the world. And then…me.

I wouldn’t call it pure imposter syndrome, because it’s not like I don’t belong there. I train. I care. I work hard. But it’s that feeling…like the first day of a new job, or the first time you step onto a college campus and realize everyone seems smarter, faster or more prepared.

You leave your home waters…your familiar pond where you know exactly where you stand…and discover you’re suddenly a minnow swimming in a VAST ocean.

It’s humbling in the best and worst ways. Part of you wants to shrink back to what’s comfortable. But another part…maybe the part that signed up for this in the first place…knows that staying small never got anyone anywhere.

So yes, I’m nervous. Yes, it feels vulnerable. But that’s part of it. You can’t grow without a little discomfort. And you can only get better by playing a better opponent. That’s what this is…an invitation to level up, not shrink back. Maybe I’ll always feel like a minnow in a big ocean…but maybe that’s exactly where I’m supposed to be. 🤙