What's The Real Reason You Skydive?

[rgoper 0]

....i've given this a lot of thought lately. i see a lot of people sky diving for personal achievement/glory. have we lost sight of our sport?

another thing, i know for a fact, that you cannot judge a person for how they come accross in these very forums, i know of several people i've met lately who can't believe i'm rgoper. (but again, i make no secret of NOT running a popularity contest here) i sky dive because of the pure enjoyment of the dive, and freefall, not to mention i've walked away 300+ times unscathed, while other's i trained with, have been seriously been injured before getting off of student status.

i ask this question, to hopefully get us to "focus" more than we do at times. it's perplexing to me that a lot of the time, our sport is more popularity driven. if your friends with everyone, your kewel, if not, your ignored.

i try to set "goals" for myself, i know where i want to be in the next 5 years, and that's "giving back" to the sport, some of which i've done already, and never asked for anything in return.

what is your personal drive, to sky dive?what message will we send to our new sky divers? with the personas we exude today?


Regards:

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[quade 4]

Are you certain you know your own reasons?

Motivation can be a pretty subtle thing. A lot of times people don't realize themselves why they're doing things. It would be interesting for you to print out your own post and have someone that knows you try to look at it objectively and get their opinion on why you would have asked the question in the first place.

You could even do it yourself, but unless you take quite a few steps back, you might not see the real reasons.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[PhreeZone 20]

Solos suck so to my motivation get my self onto bigger and better jumps. I'll never do that if I piss people off so I keep everone i can as my friends on a DZ. I want to be on big ways or teams, either HD or RW so... I got to be tolerable to everyone in the air and on the DZ/virtual DZ's with me.

The high possibility of getting steel rods and cool scars that chicks dig seem to make it worth while too.

Plus the ability to bring it up in random conversation and see the reactions I get really help get me through the week sometimes....

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[fasterfaller 0]

I do it because I like it . No other reason or goals . I do what I want in this sport and could care less if I am with the in crowd . I jump to please myself , not others .

[bbarnhouse 0]

Solos suck huh? Well I guess as a freestylist I must suck too......Oh wait I do have a camera flyer so that technically makes it a 2 way!!
Boring I don't think so, bigger and better? So does that mean as a freesylist I can't possibly DO what you do? It requires discipline to get out there alone time and time again. Suck heh? LMAO !!!!
Rods and scars you have got to be kidding!!!!!

[rgoper 0]

*Are you certain you know your own reasons?*

i'm quite sure they are listed in the original post, did you not read it?

in either event, i'm sure we all have our individual reasons to sky dive, mine are as stated in my original posts. i'm not money motivated, or am i running for public office, i just want to see the sport continued in a safe(er) fashion. to try and cut down on injuries, and casualties, etc...

--Richard--
"We Will Not Be Shaken By Thugs, And Terroist"

[hohonukai 0]

Quote

hopefully get us to "focus" more than we do at times

The exact reason why I jump. Not only is it fun, skydiving also puts life in perspective..what's important, what's not. After a jump, no matter what's happened throughout the last week, it doesn't matter. Living life matters. Breathing matters. Family and friends matter. Fun matters. Skydiving, in itself, changes a person more than a skydiver can express to another. Life becomes simple. There's no complexity. The extended family in skydiving is a bonus and a blessing. There's a lot of reasons why I jump. I can think of another while I'm replying...meeting new people that come through the dz. Such interesting people that become friends and influence you. Change your perspective on something for life, even when you felt a certain way for most of your life. And even when they haven't visited your dz, I've seen some things on this forum from folks that I've taken in and respected after thought.

Cheers, and nice post! Thanks for putting a smile on my face tonight by encouraging me to dig into the core of why I skydive.

PS - just thought of another reason! ah, man, nevermind...the list could go on and on...let's just say I've become more open minded in a positive way.

(edited to correct grammar, ok not the best grammar to an English major )

[hooked 0]

Are you serious?????

"The high possibility of getting steel rods and cool scars that chicks dig seem to make it worth while too".

You have to be joking!

I, too, like to bring up the subject to get people's reactions, but that isn't WHY I want to skydive!


J

[fred 0]

Gosh. So many reasons.

First, I'll openly admit it. I think it's cool, and I think that others (should) think it's cool as well. So part of why I skydive is just to impress people. I also think that any skydiver who doesn't think that plays at least a small part is lying, but that's not an argument worth having.

The main reason I made my first jump was that I didn't think I could. I'm shy, self-conscious, and afraid of heights, so how could I possibly get out of that plane?

The reason I made my second jump was because my first jump was the most incredible fun I'd ever experienced.

After that, it started to become challenging. I found myself a discipline that didn't seem difficult, that I knew I could master (well, I still expect to become good someday), and yet I couldn't seem to do the basics. The thing is, here I was, doing absolutely terrible on most of my jumps and not showing any progress, but still, I'd land with this giant smile on my face.

When even my most poorly executed skydives result in me being thrilled by the experience, and the ones that go well result in a completely ineffable feeling, I found the discipline for me.

"Because I love to fly"? Hellz yeah.

[Viking 0]

In short, the people!! ya the whole jumping out of planes things is a shit load of fun but i have made so many friends that would miss me if i went in or got hurt. Its the all about the people.

I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver
My God has a bigger dick than your god -George Carlin

[Remster 30]

Quote

I must suck too

Maybe, but do you sw... aaaaaah never mind.... mind in the gutter again

Remster

[Remster 30]

Yea Vicking... this is a very social sport.....

when you spend more them 20 times longer on the ground vs in the air, the social aspect is important.....

For me, I skydive coz its fun! I love the feeling of getting a formation through a few points, the big smiles on everyone on the ground after.

I dont skydive to meet my goals. I do set goals, but they are tools, not the reason i jump.

Remster

[skreamer 1]

Chicks dig it!

[nws01 0]

I did a tandem jump because it was something I always wanted to do. I went through AFF because I wanted to face my fears and learn how to skydive. I continued doing it because of the natural high I get from jumping and also the friends I have made in the process. It is an obsession for me. One day it may be my profession.

[Remster 30]

lmao...

yeah, they dig it, not you...

Remster

[gravitysurf808 0]

Quote

sig- ~I don't want a Rhinoceruses. I only want a Hippopatamuses.~

I've chosen not to take any sides with some current forum events (We all watched it transpire). But that aside your sig is pretty damn funny nws01 !!! ~smile~

[A12 0]

I originally wanted to skydive because it was something that just looked like a GREAT time...but after I did my first jump, I was hooked. But the reason I believe that I love to jump is because I have this "fantasy" of flying.

Now that I am working my way up, I am now motivated to develop my technique.

If you want to fly, get out of the plane!

My Homepage
My Blogger

[fonz 0]

Quote

what is your personal drive, to sky dive?

Basically, just because it's so f***ing addictive

And five hundred entirely naked women dropped out of the sky on parachutes.
-- The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

[bbarnhouse 0]

Wow Remmy hon~ playing gutter snipe Again?
Bwahhhhhhhhhhhh
Cheers

[AggieDave 6]

I don't have to jump, I can stop at any time...no really, I swear I could...It doesn't control my life, I control it...I'm not kidding...anyways, I'm off to the DZ.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Slappie 9]

I did my first jump because a friend came to me when I was in a cloud of jagermeister induced uphoria. He said "Hey man ever wanted to leap from an airplane?" My response was well pretty unintelligable but, he got the idea I wanted to. So about a year ago {July 14th 2001} we made a trip to the DZ with 3 of our friends. All of us went on the same load. I am the only one of the original 4 that have completed my student jumps. We all had the same idea when we hit the ground. I'm going to do this again and again.

Well I decided to continue my jumping and become a "skydiver" because I enjoyed the feeling that freefall and canopy flight gave me. The feelings of freedom in a huge wide open sky. The ability to save my own life! Now it's more the challenge to learn now things and perfect my skills so I can be invited on larger ways. After sometime of hanging around the DZ I've made alot of friends and get invited to jump numerous times a day. I prefer to do solos and 2 ways because I am still learning. I'm about to the point where some larger {4-way & campfires} are attainable goals.

I guess another reason I skydive is because it is cool if you say that isn't a reason your missing it Plus most whuffo chics dig it!!

I guess the biggest reason I do it is the "excape" factor and I want to.....

"Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have found out the exact measure of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them."

[freebird 0]

Good post RichardI do it because I just LOVE to fly...........I like the visuals.the challange of skydiving and parachuting. Although Im have alot of challanges with my new canopy ( I love the canopy ride most of all )......The landing is always the best part........I like the way I feel at the door before I exit. I love the it for what it truly is......

[freebird 0]

And today I have to go to a F****** boring A** party with my boyfriend and hang out with some very F****** boring people

[freebird 0]

And Im not trying to be mean but I like skydivers and my boyfriends friends bore the ass right of of me. ( he and his friends do not jump ) and some of his friends do not like me because I do it or they seem intimadated that I do it and in order to make themseleves look good they say stupid comments to me .......Well Im takeing 3 Vicodiens before I go to this very boring party with these boreing people

[gravitysurf808 0]

Real Reason;

I jump for those first few seconds after 'GO';

In the door....

Ready!
Set!
GO!......

Is that not better than drugs???!!!?????

Every moment after that is a bonus!!!


...love to fly.