Word choice is important in sea kayaking just as it is in any activity, as a paddler’s use of words conjures an image in her mind that either helps or hinders. Let’s discuss empowering versus disempowering words a kayaking teacher can use to strengthen or weaken a student’s viewpoint of his skill in a trying situation. For example, when a student capsizes and ends up out of his boat in surf or rocks or in stormy seas, is he a victim, or could he view himself as a swimmer? Is getting him back in his boat rescue or recovery?
If the person who fell out of his boat sees himself as a victim who needs to be rescued, will getting him back in his boat and paddling again be easier or more difficult? Will he be more or less likely to cooperate fully? Will his chances of capsizing again in the near future increase or decrease?
Most of us would answer that the victim will have trouble getting back in the boat, will be less likely to cooperate fully, and be more likely to capsize again. Yet, if the person saw himself as a swimmer who will recover, he will get back in his boat and get going faster and easier. Wouldn’t you agree?
The lesson is that it’s important to use power words such as recovery and avoid weakening words such as rescue when teaching. Think of other paddling situations where empowering words could replace disempowering words.
Imagine you are teaching someone how to help a swimmer in the water who has lost his boat in wind or surf. In addition to teaching the actual techniques and principles of assisting a swimmer or even saving a drowning person’s life, a good choice of words will empower the rescuer. When teaching a person to rescue a panicked swimmer, I instruct my students to seize and assist the paddler in trouble.
Most lifeguards will tell you that getting control of a flipped out swimmer is the hardest part of lifesaving. By using a powerful mnemonic such as “Seize and assist,” the rescuer is more likely to gain control of the situation quickly and effectively than if weaker words were used (e.g., “Place your hands on”).
The bottom line: use power words when possible. I’m sure you know many good words or phrases that you use when on the water. I invite you to share them here. I also ask for comments and encourage questions.
Eric, this is very important. Language shapes our thoughts, and our thoughts affect our actions. I’ve found in my life that using empowering words makes a big difference, whether it’s an outdoors physical activity or anything else.
Yes, John. Since we are brothers, we tend to think a lot alike, and our minds are often in the same channel (see, I could have said “gutter”–it’s all about word choice).
Here’s a good example of proper word choice: Say a kayaker is moving through a surf zone and starts to slow down. A big wave is coming and he needs to move fast. Should you yell “Don’t stop! Don’t stop!” or “Go! Go! Go!”
Hmmm. I might opt to use my mental powers to make the wave smaller, and then just watch what happens.
Seriously, I see the point of “Go! Go! Go!” You’re telling them what they should do, not what they shouldn’t do.
“Go, Go, Go” is something I’ve had yelled at me and that I’ve yelled at others. Some memorable words yelled at me in some rough stuff were to “paddle like ….!”.
Not sure if it is an empowering phrase, but I certainly remember it and consider it sound advice.
Yes, Tess, memorable words in a tough situation can stick with you for a lifetime. That’s how powerful they are. When I was a doctoral candidate defending my dissertation, one of my committee members had “big problems” with my work. My advisor said, “You have a good study. Come out with your sword drawn.” I was really empowered by that one line and was able to fence with the committee member until he backed down.
Hey Eric
I have sat outside the surf zone with a person scared of the surf with them not wanting to go in.I look them in the eye and ask for their trust and get their confidence in me.
I ask them to just react to my words not their thoughts and just like you and your brother I use the words GO GO GO …It may not in fact stop them from getting a thrashing on the way in but it seems to give them the confidence to get from the “I’m scared” zone through to the actual “its only a bit of water ” zone
Mind you there have been a few replies after hitting the beach back to me that I couldn’t repeat here!!
cheers
BTW I’m a happy sack convert now
Uttering power words sometimes comes with a price! What is the most powerful word of all? Is it “om?” No, it’s G-E-R-O-N-I-M-O!
I’m glad to see you are a hacky sack convert, Lawrence. It’s so relaxing to kick a little sack after a hard day’s paddling.
Eric,
Just blogged my recommended reading list and included your book. Your website is looking great and fresh with your new blog posts. We will enjoy reading your blogs and referring others to them.
Yesterday in our Sea Kayaks in the Surf Class – We had a paddler who was tentative paddling out. Jeff inspired her to dig in and power over the waves with growling “Grrrrrrrrrr” Strokes.
Cheers to the Go’s, Grrrrrr’s and Geronimo’s of the surf zone!!!
Cate
Thanks, Cate, for mentioning my book on your awesome website at Liquid Fusion. I enjoyed looking at your photos of the Mendocino coast, and was particularly impressed with your YouTube video of rock gardening. You guys shred!
Go Geronimo Go! Grrr,
Eric
Hey Eric, great blog post and interesting commentary. I actually read everything which is big for me! Great pics, too. Looking forward to reading Tess’s next questions and your answers. Go go go! But never underestimate the power of OM!
I believe om in trouble! So, I’d better go go go.
Geronimo!
If informatoin were soccer, this would be a goooooal!
Eric,
I took a group of girls from an international private school out paddling in Tofino harbour, many moons ago. It was a cold, wet, windy autumn day and the girls were snivelling and generally hating the experience. There were two Japanese girls in a double who were whining aloud “This is so hard!”. I paddled over and said something like “Your body is much more powerful than your brain would have you believe. But if your brain keeps telling your body it can’t do something, of course your body will believe it. Why don’t you try repeating something positive, like ‘I can do this—this is easy!'”. Sure enough they began to chant those words, aloud—something I hadn’t asked them to do. And right away they began to be able to move the kayak into the wind, and that success actually helped them begin to enjoy the experience. I’ll never forget the site of them chugging up a tiny channel against the current, chanting away, “I can do this, this is easy!”, while all the other girls kept broaching and finally had to go the long way around. The Japanese girls returned to Tofino happy, smiling, and feeling empowered!
I’m glad to read this story, Dan. I’ve got to remember that one. “I can do this. This is easy.” I bet that mantra would work for a lot of things. Going over a waterfall: “(gulp) I can do this. This is e-a-s-y-y-y-y-y!”
I just went back and read this section and I was struck with Dan Lewis’s comment above. The story about the Japanese girls chanting “I can do this. This is easy” is priceless. Well done, Dan!
When paddling under challenging or difficult conditions, which will vary considerably depending on experience and skill level (what might seem like nothing to a veteran kayaker could be terrifying or very difficult to the novice), your mental state is everything. Obviously physical condition is important, but a common occurrence in sea kayaking is to find yourself paddling into a strong wind, strong current, steep seas, with what may be, or seem to be, miles to go. Your mental state will make the difference between a miserable and terrifying experience and a merely bracing or ‘somewhat’ difficult, or even invigorating experience. To get back to the original topic, word choice can certainly affect one’s mental state.
Late in posting, but BLN. Helen Wilson recently posted “Dancing With Water In Unlikely Places”, and engendered a little discussion on nomenclature. http://www.greenlandorbust.org/2011/dancing-with-water-in-unlikely-places/#comments
Is the water confused, are the waves angry, does the wind howl or shriek, is the spray lashing your face? Maybe. But Helen’s use of the term “dancing water” instead of “rough”, “choppy”, or “confused” really struck home with me, as did all the great comments here. Words influence. We see the world through our eyes, but the language we use has great power to direct, shape, and define our vision; not so much what we see as how we see it.
Dancing water, I love it.
You’re right about that, Moulton. “Not so much what we see as how we see it.” That statement is true about perception. Perception is so powerful that people hallucinate, invent things that are not there, and remember fiction as fact. That’s why people are lousy at telling cops what they witnessed at the crime, and why people, kids especially, can believe something happened to them if an adult keeps pushing it.
The point is we have to tune our perceptual abilities to accurately reflect what is happening in the Real World. For instance, when a train is coming down the tracks, and your car is stalled, you had better get your ass off the tracks and to safety before Reality intrudes and blows you to smithereens. It’s the same on the water. A wave is coming…. Perceptual calibration, that’s what it’s all about.