Winging It: What Paragliding Taught Me About Taking Chances

There’s something uniquely humbling about being thousands of feet in the air, held up by nothing more than fabric, strings, and sheer faith in physics. Paragliding isn’t just about chasing adrenaline; it’s about listening to the wind, learning to trust your instincts, and occasionally coming face-to-face with your own clumsy humanity. Somewhere between take-off and landing, life lessons sneak in, disguised as gusts of wind, shaky landings, and that one instructor who seems far too calm for someone whose feet aren’t touching the ground. Here’s what I’ve learned from strapping on a harness, running down a hill, and trusting the wind to do its thing:

1. Learning requires humility: You might be a hotshot in your day job, but on a slope with a wing strapped to your back, you’re just a beginner in hiking boots. Paragliding has a way of reminding you that being the boss doesn’t mean much when gravity is in charge. Admitting you don’t know something isn't weakness, it’s an invitation for learning. Goddess Saraswati, if she’s tuning in, would likely nod in approval.
2. Learning requires a sense of wonder: You don’t soar by sticking to the safe stuff. Progress is messy, like cutting the branch you’re perched on to see what happens (spoiler: you fall to the ground with the branch). But that wide-eyed sense of adventure is what keeps you moving forward. Plus, there’s something magical about realising that you can trust the wind to carry you, even if your landing isn’t the most graceful.
3. Some butt landings will happen; pad it: No matter how prepared you are, Murphy’s Law will come for you. In paragliding, you bring sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and a padded harness. In life, you build buffers, minimise risks, and make sure when you fall, you’re not flattened. The key is to bounce back, dust yourself off, and pretend no one saw that awkward landing.
4. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes: Scrapes, bruises, and the occasional undignified flop are unavoidable. They’re not signs of failure; they’re proof you’re trying. If your journey is suspiciously smooth, are you even pushing yourself?
5. Make mistakes on the ground, not in the air: Practice isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s survival. You want your blunders to happen where the stakes are low - on flat terrain, in test projects, or during harmless trial runs. By the time you’re flying (or presenting, pitching, or launching), you’ll want those kinks worked out.
6. Listen to the teacher: Whether it’s an instructor on the slope or a mentor in life, there’s wisdom in other people’s expertise. They’ve seen their fair share of tangled lines and awkward crashes, so pay attention when they speak. A little humility goes a long way, especially when it keeps you out of a bush.
7. Fear is necessary but know when to let go: Fear will keep you cautious and tethered to reality, but it’ll also try to stop you from taking a leap. The trick is knowing when to listen to it and when to tell it to hush. Because eventually, you have to run toward the edge, trust the wind, and let go.
8. Don’t fight the wind: There’s a metaphor in here somewhere. Sometimes, the forces around you are beyond your control. Fighting them will only leave you exhausted. Learning to adapt - adjusting your course and rolling with the punches - makes the ride smoother. Progress isn’t always linear; sometimes it zigzags like a particularly feisty gust of air.
9. Basics stay the same: Whether the slope is steeper or the stakes higher, the fundamentals don’t change. In paragliding, that’s take-off and landing. In life, it’s the same. Your ethics, discipline, and relationships will always be your constants. Master them, and you’ll navigate anything with grace.
10. Learning never ends: No two take-offs are the same, and every landing is a little different. Paragliding, like life, is a perpetual work-in-progress. The moment you think you’ve mastered it, a curveball (or an unexpected downdraft) will remind you to stay humble and open.
11. Tools maketh the man: Inspect your harness, your lines, and your wing. In life, preparation, you know, those tedious details and endless checks, is often what separates smooth flights from disasters. When the time comes to execute, it all pays off.
12. There’s always tomorrow: Not every day is flying weather. If the wind isn’t cooperating, there’s wisdom in pausing. Inaction is often underrated. Waiting isn’t failure; it’s strategy. The skies will still be there tomorrow.
13. You forget what you don’t practise: After a break, it’s astonishing how quickly nerves creep in and muscle memory fades. Knowing is one thing; doing is another. You don’t stay sharp by thinking about paragliding. You stay sharp by flying. Life’s no different.

And that’s the magic of it all. Paragliding is equal parts preparation and letting go. Grounded in meticulous detail yet reliant on leaps of faith. The thrill of soaring isn’t just in the height; it’s in the lessons tucked into every gust, wobble, and hard-earned landing. And as any paraglider will tell you, there’s always another flight waiting. Who knows what the next one will teach you?