My Ski Season Story – Andy

Name: Andy

Age: 50

Job: Exec Producer of Corporate TV Channel

Reason for a reboot: Work Change

Ski Resort: Thredbo, Australia 

Status: Married 20 years 

Any Children: Two girls aged 18 and 16

 

Why did you want/need to reboot: What was your why:

I entered the television industry as a creative but over time I was eventually pushed into management. Yearning to get away from management and return to creativity. I really wanted to reconnect with my creativity and inner drivers which I felt were lost in a management role.

 

Did partner (and/or kids visit during your reboot)

My youngest, my 16yr old, she came with me for the ski season. She went to school whilst there for the duration of the ski season.

My wife, oldest daughter visited me once, and they brought the dog. 

 

Job in the ski resort: Sales assistant in ski rental shop

How did you find the job: Found the job through a friend

 

How Long did it take you to plan:

I had already left my job before deciding on this reboot and spending a ski season in Thredbo.  My job just was not the right fit and I had already pre-agreed with my wife that when I take long service leave (3 months off work) that I would like to do a ski season. So i had already sown the seed. By leaving work I had the time and approval and support from my wife and kids. 

It also provided an opportunity for some unique daddy-daughter time.

 

The biggest challenge in taking time for season:

Relocation. Separation from my family, and leaving the dog.

I’m struggling to find any other reasons, it was a really positive experience. Especially in hindsight!

 

Biggest Benefit:

Resetting. Getting away from corporate people and the corporate world and spending time with real people. People with no judgement. Throwing off preconceived ideas of how you are seen and need to act. It was totally refreshing. Don’t have to be anyone but yourself. And enjoy being yourself. 

Removed my self-placed responsibility of having to be an adult and a grown-up at work, and the preconceived ideas of what this means.  It was a loop causing me stress and pain.

It provided a clean cut from this version of myself and these ideas of who I need to be, rather than be. The person that I was 30 years ago. Not the person I became. It took me back to my 20’s in my mind.

I went for maximum ski time and minimum work time or stressful time. I was in a ski resort to play and reboot.

it’s a loop causing stress and pain

Skiing helped me find my mojo and casual commitment with no strings – not a career but a short time job.

And I got to spend some great daddy-daughter time that I’ll always be grateful for. 

 

What opportunities, if any, did you want to explore during your reboot

I had already decided to start a new business and not go back to the job I left. My biggest challenge was not being in Sydney with my partner to help with starting the new business day-to-day. But I did work remotely on this business part-time whilst skiing. Honest.

 

What changed for you after the ski season:

Personal/Family:  Beneficial – like having an innocent approved affair – an acknowledgement from my wife that this made me happy and important and made me a better husband and father.

Daddy + Daughter time: taking my daughter and having 1-on-1 was fabulous. She really shined during this time. It was a circuit breaker for her gave her extreme confidence

Work: Helped me focus on my next career step and long-term work commitment. Gave me time to disengage from my life to do this – which was so important.

I had decided to stay in the same industry, but not in the management and corporate side. Stayed in cinematography as the creative, not the management. 

 

What happened after ski season ended:

The time out and reboot opened up more opportunities as a result. I launched my own business with my partner in the same industry and I’m loving it. 

 

Any Afterthoughts

It’s exciting to share this story now. Validates it even more having the memories not just of the time in the snow, but also the decision-making process.