This self-confidence—I mean this healthy self-confidence I'm talking about—isn't a talent; you can learn it. One of the most important points is to have a positive self-image first. And one of the most important points, I believe, is also for me to create positive experiences of success. For that, I usually need a few goals. Smaller goals that I can achieve. And I have to notice this goal achievement, these small successes. That is also a very, very important point, I think, which doesn't work for many people, let's just say. Usually, the focus is on what wasn't good, what was bad, what simply didn't work out the way I imagined. But I have to learn, I think, to also direct my gaze toward what was good. And that is, I believe, a very, very decisive point in this.
PUZGLIDZ, the Lu-Glidz podcast.
Stories from the cosmos of paragliding. Today with
Britta Höpflinger.
And I'm Lucian Haas.
Why do you actually fly paraglider? This is a question that mental coach Britta Höpflinger likes to ask at the beginning of her workshops and individual sessions. She has already experienced some of the participating pilots breaking into tears. The reason? When writing down the answer, they suddenly realize they have drifted far away from their original motivation—the actual dream of flying and adventure. XC kilometers and points in the XContest are at the forefront. The constant comparison with others. The fun gets lost along the way. How can you find your way back to the real joy of flying? That is one of the topics I discuss with Britta Höpflinger in this episode 184 of PUZGLIDZ.
The 46-year-old from the Enztal in Styria talks about various approaches from mental training practice as well as her own experiences. For example, how to replace frustration-inducing outcome goals with enjoyable process goals. How an emotional flight diary can help give more space to the positive. Or how you can center or focus your own mind while flying in thermals using a kind of mantra.
I can only present these kinds of stimulating conversations to you on PUZGLIDZ because there are supporters who financially support my work on the podcast and blog. Join in! You can find out how on the Lu-Glidz Gleitschirm-Blog, specifically on the "Fördern" page.
Britta, to what extent is paragliding a mental sport?
For me, I think paragliding has a lot to do with mental aspects. Often, only the technical side is seen, which of course, I believe, is also a basic requirement. So, I think that's the starting point. It's a prerequisite that I have glider control, that I have a certain amount of knowledge, and also aerodynamic knowledge, meteorological knowledge. But I still believe that paragliding is very, very much about decisions. And for these decisions, I think it's important that I have a relatively clear head. And by that, I simply mean that I'm not distracted by my emotions, but that I'm clear-headed and can make good decisions. And I think that's important in paragliding.
From the paragliding community, like the ones you experience in your circle and such, is this actually seen as sufficient, or do they all just want to fly and don't really think about the mental side at all?
Partly, partly. I really think it's partly, partly. I mean, I do think there are many pilots who are very reflective and who are aware of that. But then, I think there are also other types of pilots who really just want to fly, who maybe have a bit less understanding of the fact that it's still part of it. Yeah, so I think it's partly, partly. What's good, I think—sorry if I say it—is that it's becoming more and more of a topic now. And that makes me personally very happy. It's also becoming more of a topic in public. From Paul from Kuschelbauer with his book. There are more providers, and I think that's really, really good.
Do you think the reason it's becoming more common is mainly because there are more providers who are, in a way, pushing this topic into the scene, something like that? Or are there other trends as to why that is?
Yes, I think it's a matter of supply and demand, I believe. So it's a bit of a mutual implication. Is the demand there? Does the supply get larger? Does the supply become more visible? Does it maybe become a bit more of a topic? And maybe there's a bit more openness there. I can imagine that too. That there's more openness among the paraglider pilots themselves. That maybe things are spoken about more openly at times. That people, that the community, opens up a bit to this topic. That fears are spoken about for once. That it's spoken about for once that I don't always do everything perfectly. That I don't always just deliver my best performance. And because of that, I think it's a bit of a mutual implication.
You said earlier that the pilots you encounter are a bit of a mix. Some already think they need to do something mentally, and others just want to go flying. From your perspective, would you say that the ones who deal more with the mental side—just in terms of their readiness—are definitely the better pilots on average?
Maybe in the long run, they are the better pilots. Let's just say, "better" is always relative, I think. I mean, on one hand, you can obviously look at it purely from a technical standpoint. That's very clear. But I often think to myself, what actually makes a good pilot? I think that's a fundamental question. And I always think, a good pilot doesn't always have to be the technically best one who flies the longest distances. I think in climbing, we always say the one who has the most fun is the best climber. And with flying, I might put it a bit differently. I'd just say it's the one who has the ability to assess their own performance and adjust the flight plan accordingly—to their own abilities.
And depending on what is important and valuable to you, a good pilot for me is the one who goes home satisfied at night.
And in that sense, it's naturally better—not better, but from a mental perspective—if I'm aware of that, I can implement it better, I think. That's my personal opinion. Then I can implement it better. Then maybe I can stay with myself better at the launch site, deal with my emotions better, because I simply know what's important to me. And through that, maybe become a slightly better pilot.
From your perspective, what are the most important themes or questions that a pilot should reflect on in relation to flying to progress mentally? By "progress," I don't mean kilometers.
The most important topics. I think one of the most important ones, which I always start with in my workshops, I think, is still making yourself aware again and again of your original motivation. Why do I fly? Yes. What is the reason that I invest time, I invest energy? What is the reason for investing so much energy and what is so important to me? And I've had some really exciting topics there. So, I usually start the workshop with a little journey of thought. Why do I fly? And that was often exciting. I never expected how I started, that people almost started crying. Let's just say, because they forgot their original motivation. And I think that is already an important point, that I make myself aware of that again and again.
It can of course change. That's clear. Over time. Personally, I actually do it once a year, where I think about why I actually fly? What kind of pilot do I want to be? And what do I have to do for that? So those are three short questions I actually ask myself once a year. I think that's one of the decisive things. And then, I think it's also important—and I always advise this as well, as another point—to do an honest inventory, including of myself. I think looking honestly at yourself is very, very important. Let's say, where are my strengths? Where are my weaknesses or areas for development? That sounds better. We like to say that when we're climbing. And just do an honest inventory. And then I might see a bit of a picture of where I can work on things.
Inventory. What do you take as an inventory? For example, do you ask the question, am I good at flying thermals? Or is the inventory, I never get further than 40 kilometers? Or what belongs in such an inventory? Or rather, which of your own qualities should you sort of check for yourself?
Yes, so we have... I developed this this year together with the Aeroclub, I have to say, a small pilot profile. Like a general concept, perhaps. It doesn't go into too much depth now. The wishes or requirements are different depending on what I'm doing. But it's maybe a general concept of what a good pilot might want to fulfill a bit. And those are topics at the top, like glider control, that's one thing very clearly, I think, from that. Glider control, knowledge, I can split that up. Aerodynamic knowledge, weather knowledge, depending on what I need. Then the right equipment, I think. So that's also at the top, that's always important. But it's also the ability to concentrate, we have that at the top.
Personal responsibility, I believe it's one of the most important points as a pilot.
How do I take responsibility for my own actions? Enthusiasm, motivation—those are at the top. But also how I handle stressful situations and my own fears. Self-confidence is also always an important point that I really want to address. And these are the points where you let yourself off the hook, subjectively. That's very clear. But where can I actually assess myself? I can rate myself on a scale of 0 to 10 for what I want to achieve, where I stand regarding my goals.
And that would be something where you'd say, we're now sort of at the beginning of the season. And some people, of course, flew all winter through, and others say, I don't want to fly at all in the winter. I'll only fly when it's warm again. And they only get back into flying in May or something like that. Where you should just sit down now and say, I'm going to just go through a list. And tell me, okay, where do I stand regarding my technical skills, what's my self-confidence, and things like that. You should just write it down.
For example, exactly. I think you could—I don't know if you're interested, but I can make this pilot profile available somehow.
Yeah, maybe there's a PDF of it somewhere to download or something. Then I'd be happy to link that in the show notes accordingly. Or email me,
if I can't put it together yet. It doesn't work the same way. That you can just take a look at it for a bit. Exactly. But I do think it's useful, yes. I think it's useful to do it once. To see where you stand. It's also often interesting, there are always pilots again, so what I've also looked for often. I always do it from 0 to 5, so where I'm less satisfied, that gets colored in a bit red. And everything over 5 gets colored in green. And that just jumps out visually.
Would you also say that, okay, if you're thinking about what you can work on, you should always tackle the red areas first? So, are those the things where you can say, if you work on those, you'll probably make the biggest progress?
Most of the time, it's like, where I have the biggest weakness, I'd be most successful the fastest, let's put it that way. I can probably tackle that the quickest. I think I'd still link it a bit to my goal. What is actually important for what I want to do, what I want to achieve. And I would link it to that.
You do a lot of mental training, both with individuals and with groups. And you probably also ask about these kinds of things or distribute something like that and say, okay, sign up for this. Are there typical themes where you notice that it's really bad for most people or for a very large number of them? And is this actually something that is a basic theme, something that is perhaps least noticed by the aviation community, but where one could work on it the most?
What? I mean, among the people who come to me. I have to narrow that down now, of course. That's very clear. Not everyone comes to me. What is already very, very noticeable is always the self-confidence. That there is little self-confidence. That is very, very striking. And also the way they handle stress, with fears. How do I talk to myself? So that is very noticeable in that regard. Sometimes a good exercise, when I sense it—I've done it often, I've experienced it often—is when people then say there's more green than I thought. I always find that quite interesting. You can...
regarding self-confidence, you give them an extra point because they see that, actually, I'm green in seven out of nine points and only two are still red. So I'm not actually in such a bad position.
Exactly. That's really often the case. It's really very often the case when you take an honest look at it. Because we are very, very critical of ourselves, sometimes even as a prejudice right from the start. And then there's often an image that opens that up a bit. And that's always interesting. But I think self-confidence is very, very often a point, let's just say.
Are there mental techniques, whatever they may be, that are very simple, where you'd say you can work on your self-confidence very well with them? Or is self-confidence such a complex thing that you can't really say there's a specific "one-one"—a single thing you can latch onto and just quickly pull your self-confidence up?
No, I believe you can work on that very, very well. What might also be important to me, which I often say in paragliding—and what might not be as important, or as decisive as it is in paragliding in other sports—is that in paragliding, something can still happen, let's just say. And it's important to me to define this self-confidence a bit. I mean, if I were to use a scale. On one side, you have doubts, self-doubt, which I believe are poison for every pilot, for every athlete. But on the other side, there's also arrogance. And I'd like to briefly address that as well. Arrogance? Yes, arrogance. Especially in paragliding, let's just say, because only self-confidence and complete overestimation don't get me any further, or rather, they can obviously become dangerous at some point.
And in the middle, I see the paraglider. And this self-confidence. I actually see that as healthy self-confidence. I believe that's a very important basis where, if I have it, many issues then regulate themselves. If I have better self-confidence, I'm simply less anxious. I can maybe handle stress and pressure better. So there are all sorts of points. I might hold out longer if I hit a low point somewhere because I have the confidence that I can get back up anyway. You might set higher goals. So, that plays a huge part.
And this self-confidence, this healthy self-confidence I'm talking about, I believe it's not a talent, but something you can learn. Definitely. And it's not that hard, from that perspective. It's not that hard at all. What I always recommend, I think one of the most important points is to have a positive self-image for once. To take a look at what I can do. Like I said before, it's all green. I can make a point of that right now. So, really focus on my abilities, not just what I can't do, but what I can do. And one of the most important points, I think, is also creating experiences of success. Creating truly positive experiences of success. For that, I usually need a few goals. Smaller goals that I can achieve. And I have to notice this goal achievement, these small successes.
That's also a very, very important point, I think, in terms of what doesn't work for many people, let's just say.
Because usually, the focus is on what wasn't good, what was bad, or what simply didn't work out the way I imagined. But I think I have to learn to also direct my focus toward what was good. And I believe that is a very, very crucial point in this.
Back to self-confidence. From the way you're describing it, I get the impression it's a bit of a chicken and egg problem. What came first, actually? For example, regarding self-confidence, you said you arrive somewhere deep. Do I have the confidence there, can I maybe ramp up again? The other side, of course, is that I need to have the technique to be able to ramp up. From that, the self-confidence comes—that I can ramp up there. So how do you actually solve this chicken and egg problem at this point? Where do I realize what I actually need to work on? How can I gain the confidence to be able to ramp up? Or rather, how can I learn to ramp up so well that I have the confidence that I can ultimately do it?
So, I would still start by thinking about it, by looking back a bit—let's say, where have I already managed to do that? That's how I would start, because I believe we're all already flying for a bit longer, let's say—so if you're already landing deep and you trust yourself there. You've already done flights, let's say. And maybe look back a bit at where I've already managed that? And consciously pick those out. Maybe, I'm also always a fan of writing it down a bit. It might sound a bit silly, but I still find it an effective method, writing it into a success journal. Because simply the act of writing anchors it better in us and we perceive it better. So, I'm really a fan of that.
In that case, you'd also say, it's really a success journal; you don't write down failures, but rather you manifest only what was really good in writing, so to speak.
Primarily. Primarily, just what went well. I've had a pilot before, we worked like that too, and then we talked about the topic of a success journal and she told me with such joy that she has one. Then I said, let's take a look at what's in it. And she immediately got quiet.
There's nothing positive in it that she did.
So it was a success journal full of failures.
Exactly, something like that. The stuff that didn't go so well. I mean, it should primarily include what went well. Especially when I have little self-confidence, I think that point is always all the more important. I do that for myself too. I have a success journal as well. Mine is a bit more extensive. So I write it down, and point one is always what was good. And that point is always there. It's always there. That's just a rule. There's a point for what was good.
So on every flight, for example, you find something where you say, at least I landed safely. I landed well.
landed and am standing on the ground healthy.
Yes, sometimes you have to get a bit creative. No. But there's usually something good from that. It's a rule that this definitely stands out as the first thing, and stands out nicely, let's say. I reflect on it a bit more then. For me, there's usually one more point. I do that in a slightly different form. But that's purely visual for me. What else can I learn? What's best? That's a point about what I can still learn, where I might need to pay more attention. From that perspective, for me, for example, I think it was the valley winds for a whole summer. Because I didn't get that you can fly away in the alley and that it can be uncomfortable, getting washed down. So that was also always a point for me, I think, that takes a long time. And that was, so there's the point, what can I learn, what do I need to pay more attention to?
Or what do I want to take away for next time? So I have that in there too, as an addition. But primarily, it's the first point: what was good. And I often take that and read through it again and again. Especially during a longer break from flying, I think it's crucial that I read through what was already good, what I did well. And if I want to develop further, I can look back at what happened, what I want to take with me—what I want to implement today from what wasn't so good last time, for example. That's how I use it.
Do you do that after every flight? So you basically have a logbook, but it doesn't necessarily contain everything—the data is probably in there too, where you say you flew from here to there and so on. But where you really have a large part, where you say, in my logbook, the emotional diary is also included. What positive things did I associate with these flights? Exactly. Mainly.
That's how it is, exactly. I mean, there are also pilots who actually do that in the comments of the actual logbook. So anyone can do it however they find manageable and individually suitable. I just have the logbook, what I upload from my device, let's say. And then I have this emotional diary. That's a great term. Then I have this emotional diary, success diary. And there I actually write the kilometers. And those should be in there. So I write flight, I don't know, Emberger Alm, for example. And then I mostly write in the successes, how it went for me, what I can learn, what I want to do better, in that direction, yeah.
Do the same themes keep coming up? Like, you're saying that can also be frustrating. You're keeping a success journal. Sure, you always have small successes. But maybe, if you say, well, I also write down failures. And then you say, "drowned again" or "the thermal still hasn't been turned properly" or something else. So that it keeps happening and that it could, in principle, be a negative spiral.
Well, I see it more like these are topics I'm allowed to work on. Where I really can work on them. So I don't see it as a negative spiral. Of course, that can happen, in any case. But it's written there, as I said, the first rule, what was really good. And that is still the point of what was good. And again, if you say it always says "got drunk again" or something else. Then I take that and think about what I can do. I can analyze it exactly. What was a wrong decision? That I got drunk again. If I do it again, how can I do it differently? So I don't see the whole thing becoming too negative. Or it shouldn't be.
When you approach flights like this, especially now at the beginning of the season, you usually have big ideas and goals. Is that counterproductive?
It depends on how you set your goals. I think goal setting is a completely separate topic. And I believe it can fill a huge amount of space in all of this. Generally, I like to distinguish between goals and visions. And these visions I have, in my opinion, can't be big enough. I mean, if it's my heart and my heart is in it, then these visions can be really big. Like, I want to win x World Championships or something. So, it's not really relevant whether that's realistic or not. Let's put it that way.
But of course, there's the danger that if I only have results or goals in mind, I might get too fixated on that result, let's say, and not get into the doing enough. Or, if I'm looking at the flight and I only have those 150 kilometers and I'm already thinking about it at takeoff and don't catch the first board properly, that doesn't help me much, let's say. And I think that's where the difference and the important thing is: that I can switch from these big result goals and visions to working in the moment on smaller goals. Like, what do I have to do for that? For example, I have to be focused on the Dermalcken, making sure I turn them well enough.
And that's the decisive thing when flying. And I believe these big goals are very, very important as motivation—I must have them, absolutely. But then, while I'm flying, while I'm executing, I think I have to get into the action and look at what's happening in the moment. And that is such a decisive point.
Even on your side, if you read up on things like that, you distinguish—or not just you, many mental coaches and such like to distinguish—between being result-oriented and being process-oriented, how you approach things. Well, at least if you look at the paragliding scene, what you see of what others do, if you're not really right up close and talking to them or something, what you get to see, what's in the XContest or whatever, then you see a flight and basically only see, hey, he did 200 kilometers. He
has done 200 kilometers
done or whatever. But I have no idea, okay, what experiences, what emotions, what fears, whatever he endured in between. But you then very quickly fall into the trap of saying, well, I want to do what he did. So you look at this result, he did the 200km FAI and I'm still lagging behind. How can you shift from this result-orientation for yourself to a process-orientation? Because you say, I'm basically breaking the whole thing down into small processes where I say, I can get better at that. And if the sum of the processes is good, then I will automatically achieve a good result in the end. But how do you get there?
That has been my biggest personal challenge.
So, what I struggle with the most for a long time, especially with time glider flying. That was really my biggest issue. I think the result orientation often focuses very, very much on things that are outside, things that are outside of my control. Like the weather, for example, other pilots, or anything else. Especially in competitions, with rankings, I can still influence my own performance, but not how the others fly, for example. I can't influence that. What's often also good, and what I also like to use, is what you said, you only see the 200-kilometer flight. Maybe you should think about that for a moment. With the iceberg model. You only see the tip. And that might be the success of others.
Let's say, for example, the 200 kilometers. And you consciously ask yourself: what am I not seeing? And that's exactly it. How much energy, how much time did that person invest? Is that even comparable to mine? Can I do that?
To stick with the iceberg, how wide is its base actually? Yes, exactly.
And do I also have something like that
a broad base? Can I then eventually let my tip poke out above the water? Or do I always sink?
Yes, I might have my basis then. So that's okay. That's perfectly okay. And a lot of things play into that. But if we just make it conscious for a moment, that I can move away from that comparison, that I can never take it over one-to-one. Maybe he also has a different awareness of risk, let's put it that way. Different resources, different risk awareness. So there are all sorts of different things, I think. And I think I learned it the hard way. I have to say that now. I learned it through injuries. Quite simply. So
you were so results-oriented that you pushed yourself too hard and ended up injuring yourself in the end. Definitely. Or the goal wasn't the 200-kilometer flight, but something
always.
The injuries. A broken foot.
Yeah, exactly. For me, it was a long road. And funnily enough, I come from competitive sports and I brought that with me a bit. And that wasn't the case in any sport like it was with paragliding. Why? Maybe really the XC, the comparing. I have no idea why it was so extreme there. And I can push my limits very, very well. I can do that. And well, like you said, until I was just injured once again. And then I already thought to myself once if it was happening to me three or four times, if there wasn't a pattern behind it. And that was just the case. Always, that I simply didn't hear certain signals. And I sat down once after the last injury and just thought about what's important to me, what's not important to me, again.
And for myself, what I ultimately took away, I just defined an acronym, so a word for my values, let's say. And for me, that's the word FALLEN. And there, the F stands for joy as the basis, for example. That should be for everything, for flying, for everywhere, first of all, it's the joy, that will be the foundation. Then the A is, for example, the agreement with myself, the focus, that it really stays with me, that it doesn't go outward, that it stays with me. At the launch site, in the air, not on the results, what the others are doing, but it stays with me. The L, learning, I want to learn as a primary goal. Learning, no matter how, lightness I want to have, the second L, gathering experiences, gathering positive experiences and having a nice time.
And I just defined an acronym for myself, a word for my values, let's say. And for me, that word is Fallen. And there, the F stands for Freude as a foundation, for example. That should be for everything, for flying, for everywhere—first, the joy, that will be the foundation. Then the A is, for example, the agreement with myself, the focus, that it really stays with me, that it doesn't go outward, that it stays with me. At the starting point, in the air, not on the results, what others are doing, but it stays with me. The L, Lernen, I want to learn as a primary goal. Learning, no matter how, Leichtigkeit I want to have, the second L, gathering experiences, gathering positive experiences and having a nice time.
I find it interesting that you chose a word like falling, which actually has a negative connotation. Especially when you're flying, you don't want to fall at all or fall anywhere like that. I mean, in the end, we always land on the ground somewhere, but of course, it shouldn't be a fall. That,
I think that comes from climbing. I think that comes from climbing. There, it's supposed to be something positive. And falling in the air doesn't bother me. I'm allowed to let myself fall, I'm allowed to give up control—it's all a matter of interpretation. I'm allowed to let myself fall, I'm allowed to maybe give up a bit of control, I'm allowed to let go, to look, to accept what is right now. So it doesn't have to be just negative.
Would you recommend that people create these kinds of acronyms for something, where everyone finds their own and says, "Hey, this is my word that I can use to remember while I'm in the air—what am I actually doing or what do I want to do, why am I flying, what is the process I should be focusing on right now?"
I wouldn't recommend that to everyone. I wouldn't recommend it to everyone because I think for some it might not work at all. Something else might work better for them. I think even with mental training, it's a matter of how individual we are.
And the word doesn't necessarily have to be helpful every time. It helps me. But it might help 50 percent of other people differently, for example. But I do think, what's important to me? How do I want to be, when I think about that? How do I want to fly? What's in the air? What are my process goals today, for example? What do I want to do today? What are my expectations in the morning? Or is that realistic? Does it fit today? Does it fit me? I think those are the basic things I can think about. Before every flight, what I think everyone can prepare a little bit.
can be very helpful, let's just say. Words can support 50 percent. The other 50 percent might not mean much to the pilots. And in that case, there are different ways to try and figure out what supports me.
Let's talk a bit about process orientation and process goals. And maybe some people don't have that much imagination or anything. Just give me a few examples. What could be typical process goals for pilots that are helpful? I mean, what could you write down? What would be a process goal for me that I want to work on in a day or go up into the air with?
Well, it also depends on the topics. So, of course, the process goal can be a bit more technical—that I really want to focus today on feeling the glider when the thermals come, that I try to center properly, for example. So that I put my concentration into it and really, I don't know, if I always land early, maybe fly a bit further away, let's say. But that I just try to always head back to the base to turn around. And just turn around the first five turns really all the way to the base. Those can be process goals. But there are also mental process goals, of course. Today, for example, I'm only having positive self-talk with myself.
In the air?
In the air, exactly.
It's mental, for example. So they can be completely different.
Do you regularly have internal monologues with yourself in the air? Yes.
Out loud? So if I were flying next to you, could I hear you and catch what you're telling yourself right then? Or is that something that only happens in your head?
I do talk to myself out loud sometimes, yeah. I've checked every day, and I don't have my radio on anyway. That means it doesn't get completely embarrassing. I think everyone knows what talking to yourself is in some form. Otherwise, they don't have to be loud; they can just be internal. And I think if you put a bit of focus on that, it makes a relatively big difference. Because they're often negative, let's just say. We had a competition pilot who was with me once, and we noticed that you're literally talking to the ground.
So they were being so negative. I
I think many pilots can do that.
Yes, exactly. And I talk to myself out loud, yeah. I talk out loud sometimes. Not always, that's very clear. Not always, but when I'm under a lot of pressure, it can be quite loud, yeah.
And do you also manage to talk yourself up?
Yes, I think so. When I'm in the right focus. That I motivate myself, definitely. What
what do you tell yourself then? What do you tell yourself, for example?
Yes, now focus again. It's going to be... well, if it's downhill, the descents are often a bit more unpleasant than, say, further up. And I remember that clearly. Now focus again. Make sure you center yourself properly. Then it's perfectly okay. Do your 200, 300 meters of elevation and then it'll get better. And what I'd say now is, talk yourself up.
And you're basically sitting there next to yourself as a coach. Exactly. And you're pushing yourself from the outside.
Something like that. Yes, for example, one method in mental training is to actually talk to yourself like an outside coach. With a certain tone.
When you're in flight, you're supposed to be in the moment. But now you're also the coach from the outside at the same time. It's a bit of a split. Is that the right approach? I mean, can you be in the moment if you're simultaneously the coach from the outside cheering you on? Or is it just the way to get back into the moment? Exactly.
So I see it more like this: it's the way to get there. I think if I'm completely in the flow and everything is moving smoothly, then I don't really need that in that moment anyway. Everything works, and I'm not caught in any negative spiral. But if I'm struggling with myself, if negative thoughts come up, then I believe it definitely supports me. Or it can support me. And those are certainly two different things. So, in that moment, if I'm talking to myself like that, I'm certainly not fully in the flow. Take everything around it. That wasn't it. But I can't force the flow anyway. I can only see if, when I'm in this negative spiral, if I hold my breath...
Everything is shaking, it's wild. It doesn't matter what it's saying to me. I want to land, I want to get out. Then I can put that into an outside perspective, that I'm currently caught in my thoughts, in these bad thoughts. I hope that was clear.
It was clear to me. I hope it is for the people listening here as well. I was browsing around your website a bit. You have a kind of blog there where you repeatedly write background stuff on individual topics. And one thing in particular caught my eye because I liked it as a question. It's about focusing, especially when you, for example, go deep and then want to pull up again. And you have a three-question method. And I especially liked one question in there. This question: what is the most important thing right now? Exactly. And I liked that very much because when you ask yourself what is the most important thing right now, you don't say the 130 kilometers I still want to reach or anything like that,
...but what do I have to do to get up into this thermal? And I have to block out everything else first. I actually just want to stay in the air.
Exactly. And that's the difference between result and process. Because if I have that result of 100 kilometers right now and start getting annoyed, for example, because I'm low again, the probability is higher that I won't get back up there. Because my perception narrows. Because I'm trapped in the actual kilometer flight. And if I ask, what's the most important thing now? Maybe I thought about it beforehand, that if I really get low, I'll take a look around. Because often you're so focused inward. I forget about the surroundings, and maybe a bird is circling 300 meters away, another paraglider is circling, and I don't even see it. And I think that's what brings me back into the process and what is very, very important. And you can support that a bit by not thinking about it only while in the air, but beforehand.
That I really think about taking a look around the next time I get low. Then I'll focus on what I can do right then. And of course, I can mentally prepare for that a bit beforehand so that I can execute it better when I'm actually in the situation.
That means mental work for flying actually, the way you put it, as it sounds now, happens mostly by intention. That means you're not in the air to do the mental work, but rather you're just executing it and trying to coach yourself and things like that. But whatever you've planned or intended should be developed at other times and written down or whatever.
Definitely. Having done the thinking beforehand. I believe that's an important point. I believe that when I'm in the situation, I don't always have to be afraid. As I said, it can be annoying that I get angry at myself, that stress arises. Finding solutions usually doesn't work—you have to be honest about that in the situation. Mental training is still about me sitting down beforehand, thinking about how it should be, what I can do, and training that in advance, away from the actual flying. It's mental training, you might have heard this or heard it often, it's almost like muscle training. And doing that beforehand, yes.
Now, a term comes up—or I'll bring it up now, it's also on your page. A major factor in mental training is visualization.
Exactly, not being in the clouds, but being on the ground, yet still experiencing processes that you can experience in the air or perform there, and stuff like that, visualizing it. How can you do something like that? How do you visualize?
Exactly. So, I believe that visualization is where mental training comes from. That's really the training for real-life situations. And how do you do that? I imagine...
Yeah, so you can use it a lot, let's just say, but I imagine how something should be. And then I feel myself into it, so always at the beginning, I should first know, really, how it should be. That's one very important point. How I want it, how it really should be. And then you usually start in a quiet place and then I just immerse myself and imagine, I'm now, I'm flying now, I'm now in the thermals, I'm gaining altitude now, maybe some bad thoughts come up, I set my mantra, I'm doing this now, I can do this now, I've already handled other situations, I'm turning for another 300 meters of altitude now, and I feel myself into it. And the more sense I make of it, the more effective,
the whole thing becomes more effective. And visualization is nothing other than—I don't want to get too scientific, but still—preparing my neural pathways for the experience. Warming them up, images, depending on where you stand. And visualization plays a very big role there.
Now, there are probably many pilots, especially at the beginning. You haven't had that much experience in the air yet and you have to learn new things. The new stuff might even scare you. For example, I'm circling out of the first thermals. It all feels strange. The vario is beeping and it's still bothering me. And you don't know, the glider is wobbling back and forth and you don't have a feel for it yet, and stuff like that. You can't visualize that beforehand, can you? Or can you?
Well, you can visualize it very, very well. I think so. Even if you haven't experienced it yet.
even if you haven't experienced it yourself. So you can visualize things that you...
Oh, I see, yeah, well, it works. It works. I mean, I've already experienced it. I think I can put myself in situations regarding things that I maybe haven't even experienced yet. I can imagine what it's like, what my idea of it is? And then later I can cross-check that with the air. But I think I can already imagine it. I mean, I know that maybe when I start paragliding, you hear that moving air is often a bit shaky. So I can at least get a sense of that, let's say. Or I've flown through it myself once; I might not have entered the thermals, but I've flown through it once. And I think I can already imagine that it's just a bit shaky. And I think what's worse is that I always imagine everything is completely calm.
Because if I want to fly thermals now, I have more turbulent air. And if I still keep imagining that everything is calm and nothing is moving, then this path in my mind is so fixed that I'll be startled when it actually wobbles a little bit. Now we're not talking about collapses or anything else, it's just a little bit shaky. And if I can already imagine beforehand that the whole thing is just a bit moved, that it wobbles a little, then I believe that helps very, very much. And I think I can train that beforehand too. So I'm convinced.
Now, mental training, as it's perceived from the outside or seen by many, is very often seen as training to actually overcome fears or get rid of fears that are correspondingly linked to some incident. Do most of your clients actually come to you because of fear, or is it also, from much of what we've discussed so far, about actually setting positive things, process orientation, and other stuff? But in your actual practice work, is the work on fear perhaps still at the forefront?
Not really in the foreground, I think. I mean, I think it's very, very—well, it's a bit over half—it's pilots who are a bit blocked, who already have issues that maybe they're coming to mental training too late for, let's say, because the fear has already built up, that they're going to land early, that the nervousness at the launch site is very, very high. So that can be very different. But there are also exactly—well, a bit less, I'd estimate 60-40 if I had to break it down to a 2—other pilots who come who maybe want to fly a bit more consciously, get a bit better, want to go on routes, fly longer routes, or maybe for a competition. Those are very few, I have to say that too.
But those who just want to fly more consciously and improve in specific areas—that would be just under half, I'd say.
People want to get rid of their fear because they want to be able to fly carefree again and stuff like that. Is it even sensible to get rid of a fear?
No, not at all. I think getting rid of this fear is a very specific topic. So, not at all. I don't believe that at all, because it still serves an evolutionary purpose in us, let's put it that way. It also protects us in a certain way, even when paragliding. So I believe that if I'm completely free of fear, I'll also fly dangerously. Definitely somewhere. I really believe that. Getting rid of this fear isn't the right approach, in my opinion. It's about how you deal with it. How can I still deal with it? How can I maybe accept that it's there, let it perform its function—it protects me somewhere—but still achieve my goals?
and deal with it? And I think that's simply what it's about, yeah.
How can I use fear to my advantage?
Yes,
become aware of the positive sides for once. So, we often do this in the workshop—it's naturally a recurring theme—where we do a kind of reframing, where we simply take a look at the other side, the positive side, of the whole thing.
Anxiety has different variations. So as I said, it protects me, but it can also, for example, bring me to a level of arousal where I'm not under-activated, where I don't take everything too lightly and a mistake or an accident happens. Instead, it brings me to a level of arousal. I might be a bit more focused. So as long as I'm not paralyzed, that's clear, but it does have positive sides. I might be a bit more focused, more alert about the whole thing, and I need to notice that too. And I think it's also okay to say, a certain level of safety is important to me. So I'm already like, I don't want to get hurt and that's important to me, and I want to take good care of myself. And in that way, it protects me too. And I think I can highlight the positive sides a bit as well.
...and by doing that, you accept that the fear is there. And I believe that is a very, very important step. If I just get angry that the fear is back again, it just causes even more stress in me, physically and everything. And an important point, one of the first ones, is that I accept it. Okay, I notice that fear is there. That's okay. But I have this and that as my goal. Let's see what I can do as the next step. I might promise myself, I'll take good care of myself, I'll be careful, but I want to do this now.
Can you negotiate with anxiety?
Yes, I think so. Because it's a kind of negotiation. I promise myself, Britta, I promise you now, I'll take good care of myself. If I notice now that the wind is blowing way too hard, I'll land immediately. So that might be a basis for negotiation, yes.
And the fear settles down?
You have to train, yes. I mean, I think you have to practice a bit, you have to be aware of it. And the fear, it's a good way to deal with it. Yes, I think so. And maybe, or if I'm in the thermals now, if I'm aware that I have a turbulent air pocket, I just make a deal with myself: I'll fly back in now and stay inside for five minutes. For those five minutes, I won't think about my fear. I'll watch closely, fly actively, and then I'll fly out again and decide anew whether I'm going to land, if it's too much for me, or if I'll fly back in again. And I think that's a good way where the fear settles down a bit, as you put it, yes.
Well, fear is often just a gut feeling or something from the subconscious, which might be linked to brain structures that have little to do with our cognitive processes—it's just flight reactions and whatever else happens in the brain, all those primitive brain structures. So, there's talking to your fear or saying, "Hold on for five minutes, I want to keep flying." Are there other techniques that have nothing to do with cognition, where you can regain your composure or say, "Hey, I'm telling the fear to back off," and it says, "I don't feel like it," but where you can get calmer in another way during the flight?
Yes, of course. Well, I think that's what it's all about—I believe I can do a lot with breathing techniques. I think breathing is one of the most important tools, as it can also influence our subconscious a bit. So, even my erectile dysfunction or whatever else. I think that's also a very important point.
What's important here, if I'm in any given situation,
let's stick with the Dermiken, it's restless and I don't know what to do right now, and then I think to myself, ah, I heard once that breathing helps. And then I do it, it probably won't help that much. But I think if I practice a bit at home with the breathing, if I want to calm down a bit right now, to put it very simply, then the exhalation is the key. A long exhalation, that's the key. And if I train that a bit, if I do some breathing exercises again and again, then I can implement that very, very well in the air too and regulate myself there.
Is it a long exhale or a deep exhale? So, is the important thing to get as much air out of the lungs as possible in the end? Or is it really the fact that by exhaling slowly, that letting it flow out, that's what brings the calm?
That's a good question. I think the key is that if I want to regulate myself, the focus is on the inhalation. Floch, mostly in the chest, and I have to get out of that. And I believe that's where this long and deep exhalation comes in. So, if I want to push myself more, the focus is more on the inhalation. And if I want to calm down, then it really should be a long, deep exhalation. Maybe one inhale and then two deep exhales. So, that's how I would explain it. And I think there are breathing exercises, like sand at the beach. I mean, there are books about them. But I think these are two basic rules that I can relatively easily take with me and put into practice, let's say.
And that's really about the deep exhale, making sure the air gets out, and maybe making it twice as long as the inhalation.
I read about a breathing technique on your website, the 4-7-8 technique, you wrote about it there. Yes. And that's basically four time units, let's say seconds, four seconds of inhaling, seven seconds of holding your breath, and then eight seconds of exhaling. Why hold your breath? What does that achieve?
That the oxygen distributes a bit throughout the whole body. Exactly. I breathe in, then I give it a bit of time to really distribute throughout the whole body, and then I do the exhalation based on that. So that's a very, very good breathing technique for calming down, I think. Especially staying active so that I don't fall asleep—let's say, staying active while still calming down. Yes, the most important thing, I think, is also that I actually breathe at all and don't just hold my breath. So I think we start with that. It's very important that I actually breathe, because often you stay frozen and hold your breath. And as I said, as a second tip, I think to really pay attention to the exhalation.
And the 4-7-8 is probably a step higher. But I can practice that wonderfully at home. There are videos on YouTube where I can do it. I can do it myself. There are apps where I can do it. And I think that's a great way, aside from the cognitive aspects of breathing, because I can intervene with myself there.
I assume that in the end, the exact breathing technique probably isn't that important, whether it's a 4-7-8 or not. There's also one I read once, a 4-4-4-4 method, where you inhale for four seconds, hold for four, exhale for four, and then have empty lungs for four before starting again. Apparently, some US combat pilots do that to downregulate and get rid of their stress and stuff. It's probably not that important. How exactly you do it doesn't matter as long as you practice a reasonably sensible routine for yourself over and over again, right?
That's the important thing, and I think that's the most important part of mental training. It has to suit me, that's important. It should be a bit of a routine, and as for whether it's 4-7-8, I completely agree with you—it shouldn't get too complicated. That's why it's really just breathing in, letting the focus out, breathing out so that I regulate myself down, and I think that's very, very important. And overall, breathing—that's what works.
Do you make breathing a regular task for yourself? For example, saying before every takeoff, or maybe you're already at the takeoff point, but now I'm going to do three more breaths using the 4-7-8 method, and only then will I take off. Or you're in flight and say, okay, that was the exciting thermal, now I'm going into a glide. I just set it as a task for myself at every transition into a glide to do three 4-7-8 breaths or whatever. So, that you set it as a regular task to say, hey, this is also a way to keep coming back to myself over and over again and maybe bring my stress level down a bit, to say, hey, I'm back in the moment now, and what's the most important thing right now, roughly?
And first and foremost, the most important thing is to get into the moment, do the breathing, and then we'll see what's next.
Yes, I mean, it's become very much of a routine now. It's not really tasks anymore, let's say, that you consciously set. It's already become very much of a routine. But they are, I definitely set them consciously. I think I do it unconsciously now. So, I set them consciously, but it already works automatically, let's say, that I really, before I pull out, close my eyes briefly again, exhale, and then I make sure I'm in focus and then I pull out the glider, let's say. Or rather, I also have words for myself in the thermals, because we were already with the coach, I've defined words for myself where I, well, if it's currently in the spring, if it's a bit more turbulent, where I put my attention. And that's, for example, these are five words, so learn, focus, bank, outside hand, and breathe.
And then base gas. And I sometimes say that to myself right before. Like, the breathing is back in, for example. I say that to myself when it's really turbulent, like, learn, concentrate, bank angle, outside hand, breathe, base gas. Sometimes until I'm at the top or until I get calm again. And the breathing is already important there. Or also, if it was strenuous, consciously exhale, yeah.
Is that like a mantra?
Yes, yours is. So when circling,
do you say those five or six words to yourself in a row every time?
If I notice now that it's too turbulent for me, yeah. So not with every thermal, but if I notice now that it's a bit too turbulent and I want to turn the thermal out, I don't know, maybe it's a bit of a leathery thermal where I want to go up now. Yeah. Then I tell myself that beforehand. Yeah, if I notice now that it's not quite right for me, then I tell myself.
That's also to not just center the thermal, but to center yourself?
Exactly, additionally.
Then your thoughts circle around those six words that you have defined for yourself.
Words, exactly. The brain has a task and doesn't need to think, it's wild or something like that, yeah. And breathing is already there. And also, I've defined the same thing for myself: if I'm doing a glider flight, the questions for me are, is the weather still manageable? Is it okay? So it's also important to me that I keep asking myself this during the flight. Is there a landing field in sight? That's personally important to me. I like to have a backup, that's how it is. What's the next waypoint? What's my plan to get there? And how do I feel? And of course, breathing belongs there. I notice I'm tense, then I use the breathing, get back to exhaling, maybe have a little drink. And those are also the topics I've always defined for myself and do during a glider flight.
Really? The idea just occurred to me that you could actually tell some instrument manufacturers about this, show them—they have these centering aids nowadays, so they recognize if you're in a turn and they also recognize, okay, he's now out of the turn, now he's flying straight again. Then, on the screen, those kinds of helpful infos could briefly pop up, make a ping, you look, what does he have? And then it says, yeah, four, seven, eight breaths. Or something like that appears and you say, ah, I'm getting the reminder from my device, I need to work on my mental state a bit now.
That's a great idea. I've never thought that far. Yes, reminders provide more or less for that, yeah. I still do it analog in the case where I have it written down somewhere on the cockpit. You also have all these,
have all those questions written down somewhere on the cockpit?
No, abbreviations, abbreviations.
Those are always your acronyms. It says "Fallen" and then it says... It says
Traps, then it says, there's a name at the top, if we go that far, Lena is at the top, because there was once a girl with the same glider at the Speichboden who shook me out so hard while I was just messing around, more or less, and she comes from there, gives me a shove, and looks away. I have that somewhere as a target image, somewhere inside me. And the name, thermals here and there, reminds me. And then I have, well, I have the abbreviations, so I don't have Learning, Concentrating, Bank, L, K, S, L, H for Outside Hand, A for Breathing, Base Gas. That's how I have it at the top. Short, it's not big, it's six letters. And I don't think it's about me having to read it. I know what's at the top anyway. It's just about being reminded somewhere.
Great. You're always talking a lot about the training you do for yourself, basically. Mhm. Since you're a trained mental coach, can you guide yourself through that, or do you go to another mental coach? Like how a hairdresser might say, I can't cut my own hair the way I'd like it; I go to another hairdresser—are you saying you go to another mental coach?
I was accompanied for a long time. Basically, once in the youth and junior categories. So, I come from competitive sports. I moved into a sports boarding school at the age of ten and was then accompanied from home for eight years. Have
but you hadn't done anything with flying back then?
No, I didn't. But they are techniques nonetheless. Focusing, concentrating, dealing with yourself, even positive self-talk. So I was guided through a lot of that. After I had my first accident while paragliding, I actually got some help, some support. But for me, the issue wasn't really the fear of flying. I think it was more the fear of the fear—that I might get scared and not even be able to do my hobbies. I think,
a lot of people have that, don't they? Isn't the fear of fear one of the biggest fears you can have?
Yes, many people are definitely affected. And that was my fear. I mean, that was definitely my fear. I have to be honest, I sought out help. I got help and support. That did me a lot of good as well.
Right now, I have a good friend whom I was able to coach myself years ago. She has done a lot of further training herself. We have good conversations that also bring me back a bit. My boyfriend supports me there too. He's just completely different and often brings me different perspectives. And what is true is, I'm constantly working on myself. So, if I notice I'm getting a bit out of balance, I want too much, or a topic surfaces, it's already like this for me that I sit down again and try to work on it a bit myself. But I'm not against going somewhere again if a bigger topic builds up.
Regarding your mentality. As a mental coach, you actually only became one yourself, I'd say, in quotation marks, late. You used to have a completely different job. Yes. How did it actually happen that you eventually decided, I'm going to become a mental coach?
Yes, well, as I said, I come from competitive sports myself. I already mentioned that I went to a sports academy at the age of ten and got to know mental training there. And I'll be honest, I was one of those people who really needed it.
Why? Yes,
because my mind was really, really spinning. And I mean, I couldn't always regulate my emotions. It was always like, the coaches back then already said that I'm a bit of a wildcard. I can be the best, and I can be by far the worst. And a lot of that was going on in my head, I have to say. That means,
mental training was simply there to bring in some kind of consistency, more or less.
Exactly. For me, it's totally important to be consistent, even in situations where it really matters. And that has really shaped me, but I also can't let it go anymore. I have to say that too. And of course, you'll have a proper job sometimes.
With quotation marks.
What was that for you?
Accounting and controlling.
Oh, very orderly.
Yes, exactly. Very down-to-earth, very proper. But it was always the case that my heart generally beat for sports. And for the athletes, what's going on, what happens in their heads. So, I never let go of that topic. And then, at some point, I finally gathered the courage to make it my profession. And that's how I got here. Exactly.
What do you actually do during the training?
I did it at the academy. I did sports mental training. Of course, there's sports psychology, which is a bit more extensive. So, mental training is actually just one sub-field of sports psychology. That's the part that focuses more specifically on training mental skills. And I'm only allowed to work with healthy people. A sports psychologist is allowed to work with sick people. I can only work with healthy people, which is what I want too, let's put it that way. That's why I think it was the right path for me. And then I did a year and a half of training at an academy in Vienna, where one of—thank God I got the right training. That's always an issue. The instructor himself comes from ski sports, which is a big thing in Austria.
Where it's highlighted, there's a lot of motorsport included, right up to Formula 1. And what I find interesting is that they also bring in other sports topics, like for flying. I found that really interesting—that so many other sports are included. And after this training, I was actually... well, you're in a mentoring program for two years where you're already working. But still, for follow-up questions, so that you still have backup,
I think you also wrote a thesis, probably as part of this training, called "Mental Strength in Paragliding: Only for Professional Pilots?" Question mark. So, what was the answer to that?
I think the answer to that is that it can be helpful for very many pilots. So I believe that
Flight experience, technical skills, all of that is a basic requirement. We don't need to talk about that at all. But it can be that often, on its own, it's not enough. Also, in my definition of being a good pilot—just as I said before—assessing performance based on what I want, let's put it that way. And that too,
that many pilots, whether they're professional pilots or just hobbyists, often fall into mental traps. And that can be very meaningful, if I break it down now.
What did you do as part of your thesis? Did you also conduct many interviews with pilots?
Exactly. So I was able to conduct interviews with professional pilots. And then I also started a general survey online. I think there was a large participation of 150 pilots or something. So that addressed the broader group of sports pilots. And that's where I had the two comparisons. And then, yeah.
And was it clear to you from the beginning, like with your training, that you'd want to work as a mental coach, that you'd focus at least primarily on paragliders? I mean, I think you mainly have people from the climbing scene and people from the paragliding scene who...
you train mentally. Exactly. Exactly. There are more in paragliding. I have to say now, there are more in paragliding. Maybe because maybe my heart is a bit more attached to it. But I can't say it. Yes, what brought me to it? I still saw, I mean, I was already a pilot and the topics for pilots, maybe they are somewhat similar to climbers at times, but still, with pilots, there are completely different requirements. When a pilot is standing at the launch site, it's different from when a tennis player is standing on a tennis court. There are often two requirements. And I actually wanted to work where I am personally in the middle of it. Where I know all the topics personally, that's clear, but where I already know some or other topics personally, let's say, and where I might...
empathize with. And that was just clear to me. And to support them.
Now, you're a woman, and women are unfortunately still underrepresented in flying. Do you think women approach mental training differently, or are they more open to it because they might say—thinking in black and white or something like that—they're perhaps more emotional or more likely to talk about feelings and things like that? Are there disproportionately more women among your clients compared to the paragliding scene?
The general belief is,
but funnily enough, not with me. My last workshop was all men. I've never heard that before.
Seven men. That was really exciting. I do think that women are maybe, I do think they are, more communicative, maybe a bit more open. I definitely believe that. So I think, there have already been many topics or recurring topics in paragliding as well, that women's groups, and I definitely think that has something unique about it. But I think, I mean, they do come, but not, I think it's like, there are also many men who are open to it, I think, and they want to deal with it. I mean, the others don't come to me anyway. That's clear, they don't come anyway, but it's really that it was predominantly women, that hasn't happened with me yet. And as I said, the last workshop was all men. I was happy about that. I was a bit curious how it would go for him there, because it's often the case that women open up more in a workshop, let's say.
But it worked great, it was really exciting and I enjoyed it, yeah. And I think they were all able to take something away from it, yeah.
Nice. We're always talking about mental training—the stuff you offer for pilots who are already trained, who have their experience, and who eventually say, I want to further my mental training. At the same time, you could also say, hey, why aren't these mental topics and so on, why aren't they put much more into focus in paraglider training from the very beginning, when it turns out that it's actually so incredibly important for success in the form of enjoying flying and such? And how could you manage to integrate this mental stuff, dealing with the mental side and all that, more strongly into training from the start?
And what would you have to do for that?
So, I'm basically of the opinion, I think, that when paragliding starts and apparently in Austria it also means, when I do the first training, I think I'll still be busy with so many other things, maybe it's not strictly necessary yet. So, that's my basic opinion, let's put it that way. I think that from all the knowledge being conveyed, the technical skills, the glider feel, that naturally has priority, I believe that much from that side. What then, I think, from the B-license onwards, I mean, cross-country certified and I don't know what it's called in Germany, it naturally makes sense at some point for me to deal with that a bit, although I think we have—I've already said this—this pilot profile, we've processed that with the Aero-Club, that will simply be sent out with the B-license.
I don't know if they're doing it now or in two months, but for this work, to ensure that the desire to keep developing stays with them, that I don't just stop. I can do everything now, I go flying, I want to keep developing. What I would find very important in the training—and I think that was also the case with Xande in the last podcast, he shares that, he still links it with this mental training. So, as he said, the simulation beforehand on the ground or how he would imagine air law, for example, that a picture of a collapse comes up—that's all mental training.
leading, if flight instructors could also be trained on how to incorporate that.
And then, I think starting from the B-license, I believe mental training is very important, and that it should be voluntary. Because if someone doesn't want to look at themselves honestly, doesn't want to honestly change something, then there's nothing I can do. But there should be offers. I think there should already be a hint that it's important. I believe it's somewhat important for safety,
quite a few accidents. Simply because pilots might not be mentally well-prepared, because they're not mentally present. Because they're too nervous during takeoff or maybe don't take something seriously enough. There are all sorts of variations. And I think there should be some kind of awareness-raising there, and then include it in further training options. So, I think that would be my approach.
And now there are pilots who have been flying for a very, very long time, and also in the paragliding scene—well, young people always join, but on average, the paragliding scene is probably getting older in many areas. Are there things where you would say, especially with age, that one should perhaps do some mental training, maybe a... I imagine it as a refocusing of one's flying? Because for a while, you're very, maybe even result-oriented, you're very high-performing, but then at some point in old age, you notice, okay, I'm not quite as steady on my feet anymore or whatever. I'm not as agile anymore. I can't just handle the 25-knot gust that comes through at the launch site or other things like that anymore.
That's also something you have to admit to yourself mentally and say, I actually need to redefine my flight goals in some way.
Does something like that exist? I mean, are there known offers for, like, specific mental training for older pilots or something like that?
No, I'm not aware of that, to be honest.
Yes, but I'm completely with you there. I believe that too. Maybe you have to ask yourself again, what's important to me now? And those are the questions at the beginning: why am I doing this? What's important to me? And I think I had someone once—I also have older people regularly, definitely in the care and in the training—and the last time he really saw it, it came to him and he said that, actually, when he looks inward a bit, this thermals flying isn't that important anymore. What's important to him right now are these beautiful evening flights, pleasure flights, let's say. But of course, it requires me to get there, to deal with myself. To be honest, I think. And yes, I'm sure that also plays a certain role.
And I think it's the experience for him, even though I have a lot of experience, it doesn't automatically protect you.
and that's why I think it makes sense in every phase, I think, as long as I have the basic skills, like the OP and B license, in any case.
That means, at some point, you always come back to that question we had at the beginning, which is about why I'm actually flying right now? Or why I'm flying in this year or in this phase of my life that I'm currently in?
Yes, I think so. On the inner drive and the motivation. Because then I can adjust it for myself, I believe.
Why do you fly?
I only just looked into that. So for me, why do I fly? For me, it's about these experiences. I think it's very, very much about these experiences. I love this lightness of paragliding specifically. I mean, for me, hang gliding or maybe sailing wouldn't have been anything, based on my experience. But I just love this lightness. You have everything in your backpack. You can go up and, if everything is right, you can have a great takeoff. And then for me, it's now very, very much about these adventures I experience and what allows me to do that. And that is simply the reason why I fly, I think.
You want to experience flying as an adventure.
Exactly. I want to experience adventures in my free time, and flying is simply a beautiful way for me to do that. It's not always predictable. It's not all
predictable, where I'll land or anything like that. It becomes an adventure, how I'll get back home. So it consists of a lot and it's not always that easy. I just live it. Yes, exactly.
Flying as a way to quickly—well, not quickly, but in everyday life, compared to what you usually have, to reach a level of adventure in what you experience in a relatively simple way.
Yes, exactly. And with a certain ease, I think, because it's just so simple with the glider, with the backpack.
Britta, I'll just leave that as it is. Thank you for telling us about mental training and everything you can do with it. Maybe people will be inspired, in whatever direction, whether they'll do a session with you, somewhere else, or just say, I'll try a 4-7-8 breathing technique before every start. Let's see if my next start becomes a bit calmer than the ones before. Or I'll just start an emotion, flight-emotion diary and write down mostly the positive things there and see how my own thinking in the air might change accordingly over time. Exactly. Thank you for that inspiration.
I say thank you. Great. Podz-Glidz
is the podcast of the paraglider blog Lu-Glidz. Behind it, there is no large editorial team, no advertising department, just me, Lucian Haas, as a passionate paraglider and freelance journalist. In the podcast and blog, I combine both to keep the paragliding scene up to date on all the possible facets of this fascinating sport and hobby. And that's completely ad-free and without any paywall. From the feedback of my listeners and readers, I know that many value Lu-Glidz and Podz-Glidz as important and independent information channels. Maybe you feel the same way. For me, both are not just a passion, but also part of my livelihood. Unfortunately, I haven't won the lottery yet or have a fat inheritance in my account.
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See you soon, your Lucian.