Author: Dr. Jim Taylor

Recent Posts

My 5 Biggest Pet Peeves on Race Day

There is no more important time in ski racers’ lives for them to do everything they can to maximize their preparedness than on race day. The simple calculus is that racers won’t perform to the best of their ability if they are not optimally prepared physically, mentally, and with their equipment. Second, the reason why […]

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Overinvestment in Your Triathlon is a Kiss of Death-#2

In my first article in my nine-part series exploring the obstacles that may be holding you back from your triathlon goals, I introduced you to the fact that you’re feeling held back from achieving your triathlon goals may not be that you need to do more, but rather in identifying unconscious forces that are actually […]

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5 Things I Hate to See Racers Do in Training

I’ve been in the ski racing world since I was six years old. The first 20 years, I was a racer learning the ups and downs of ski racing the hard way, mostly through trial and error, and sometimes painful failure. That, I can say with 20/20 hindsight and absolute certainty, is no way to […]

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What is Holding You Back from Your 2022 Triathlon Goals?-#1

With the triathlon off-season upon us, it’s time to focus on what we need to do to achieve our 2022 race goals. To that end, most of your time and energy during this “down time” (in quotes because there is very little down in your time!) will be devoted to building your fitness in the […]

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Five Obstacles That Weigh You Down on Race Day

In my last Ski Racing post, I introduced you to five attitudes that you need for ski racing success. In this post, I will explore five obstacles that will prevent you from skiing your fastest and achieving your ski racing goals. Mental obstacles refer to any psychological or emotional issue that interferes with your ability […]

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New triathlete.com Article: Transitioning from Participating Triathlete to Competitive Triathlete

My most recent contribution to triathlete.com, Transitioning from Participating Triathlete to Competitive Triathlete, is now live. In the article, I explain the differences between the two types of triathletes (neither is better than the other; just different) and how the transition can impact your attitude to triathlon and affect the impact of triathlon your broader […]

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Five Attitudes You Need for Ski Racing Success

The dictionary definition of attitude is “The way you think and feel about something…a way of thinking and feeling that affect a person’s behavior.” You hold attitudes about your ski racing that have a direct impact on how you train and how you race. Moreover, you may not even be aware of some of these […]

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Can Free Will Resist Five Powerful Life Forces-Part II

In my first article in this two-part series on the forces that shape our lives, I explored the five forces (genes, upbringing, popular culture, technology, and unexpected events) that I believe are most impactful on who we become, the choices we make, and the direction our lives take. In this article, I will introduce what […]

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Five Powerful Forces that Shape Our Lives (and Where Does Free Will Fit in?): Part I

Choices, options, alternatives, preferences, opportunities, decisions; these are all words that have a powerful impact on our collective psyches as human beings. They evoke free will and self-determination, the ability to become whomever we want to become, and the ability to opt for whatever road we choose in our life’s journey. Yet, whether we actually […]

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How to Survive (and Thrive) in Your 1st Year of FIS

The transition from U16s to U19s is an important and challenging rite of passage for every young ski racer. The year of FIS racing is also a crucible that tests racers physical, technically, tactically, and especially, psychologically and emotionally. To continue to pursue your ski racing goals, you must “survive” and, in fact, find ways […]

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