A few years ago, my family and I went on a family vacation to Disneyland. During the 10-hour drive, my sister asked me, “Would you rather go to the beach or Disneyland?” My response was “the beach.”

This summer, I had the opportunity to co-host kids’ mountain bike skills camps, which was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Over five days, Monday to Friday, we held two-hour sessions where the kids would do a time trial on a 2-3-minute descent and then improve their time by the end of the week. It was amazing to see the kids’ faces light up when they beat their previous time by 10 seconds or even a minute.

I am passionate about helping others improve and grow, which is why I work as a student leadership coach at the Sorensen Center at Brigham Young University. In this role, I meet one-on-one with students and help them see their full potential by holding up a reflective mirror for them to see themselves more clearly. Although it can be stressful or challenging at times, it is incredibly rewarding when everything clicks.

In addition to my coaching job, I also work as a private mountain bike coach. This role allows me to work closely with athletes who are looking to improve their fitness and racing skills. It is extremely satisfying to see my clients reach their goals and continue to make progress. Despite the challenges that come with it, I am deeply passionate about progress and growth.

So why the beach? At the beach I can continue to become better at surfing, building sand castles, etc. I don’t know of a way to get better at Space Mountain. It’s fun, but it’s not progress.

Progress is what drives me, and I believe that life is about change, becoming better, and realizing our full potential. Pursue progress!