by Carlo van Wyk
Fight Club is one of those movies that really moved me. It certainly messed with my belief systems and how I look at things today. Anyone who thinks that this movie is about fighting, have missed what this movie is really about. It's a movie about being true to yourself, not falling prey to the material world, and the sacrifices you have to make in order to live your life the way you truly want to live it.
Surprisingly, Tyler Durden can also teach us a lot about kiteboarding.
Here's how to Kiteboard the Tyler Durden Way.
Tyler Durden's First Rule of Kiteboarding :
"Without pain, without sacrifice, we would have nothing."That's right folks. Nothing comes without hard work. Aaron Hadlow did not claim the Kiteboarding World Championship title for the 5th time in a row by only kiting when the conditions are perfect. Or by sitting at home and watching tv the whole day. And all those moves he's doing didn't just magically happen.
It's hard work, and to get there, you have to make some sacrifices.
Tyler Durden's Second Rule of Kiteboarding :
"How much can you know about yourself if you've never been in a fight? I don't want to die without any scars."
Can you really call yourself a kiteboarder if you've never torn a muscle, cracked a bone, shed some blood, had some discoloration from bruising or have some scars to show for it? It's all part of the game, and to be a true kiteboarder you've got to pay your dues.
You've got to have at least a few kitemares to start out with. And to add new moves to your repertoire, sometimes the only way to do it is to earn it. And there's nothing like earning a move after a bit of bruising.
So live a bit. Lose the helmet, the impact vest and the cellphone. Push your own boundaries, and at the end of it you might have more to show than just some stylish moves. You might have a scar or two you can show your grand kids one day.
Tyler Durden's Third Rule of Kiteboarding :
"You are not your job. You're not how much money you have in the bank. You're not the car you drive. You're not the contents of your wallet. You're not your f#$%*ing khakis."
Truer words could never have been spoken. Having the best kiteboarding gear does not make you a kiteboarder, and neither does it make the kiteboarder. Don't be so hung up on the latest kit, just get out there and kite.
Tyler Durden's Fourth Rule of Kiteboarding :
"You know why they put oxygen masks on planes?"
They put oxygen masks on planes so people can breathe up there. And someone invented kiteboarding so you can jump high and fly with the birds. What happened to the roots of kiteboarding - the very core of the sport? You know - jumping. It's the one thing that sets this sport apart from any other, and you as a kiteboarder shouldn't turn your back on it.
Tyler Durden's Fifth Rule of Kiteboarding :
"This is your life, and it's ending one minute at a time."
"First you have to give up, first you have to know – not fear – know that someday you're gonna die." It's only when you know this that you realize none of us will stay young or be here forever.
Shouldn't you be out there kiteboarding right now?