What swimming taught me

Swimming was a constant through much of my childhood. I swam in Alaska, Texas, and Colorado, and spent roughly a decade showing up to practice several days a week. At higher levels, that could mean multiple two-hour practices in a day.

The biggest lesson was that progress is real even when it is not linear. Consistency compounds, but improvement does not arrive on a predictable schedule. There are stretches where little seems to change, followed by moments when the work finally shows up.

I saw that clearly when I changed swim teams for my senior year of high school. After years with the same coaching style, a new environment, new coach, and new teammates helped me improve substantially. It taught me that persistence matters, but so does recognizing when a different approach can unlock growth.