and personal skills. They spend their first dives worrying.
Because Roy had ample time to practice and gain confidence in his skills, he was utterly focused on
enjoying the realms of the underwater world.
I remember when he popped his head out of the water after our first ocean dive, he said with a big
smile, “Between the beauty of the underwater scenery and the sense of weightlessness, I think I am
hooked…is that a bad thing?”
He got IT: mission accomplished!
Sense of Achievement: Adding Purpose to Fun
When the course was over and we were on our way home, Roy looked at me and said, “I am not sure
this is the right reaction, but I feel this big sense of achievement after graduating from this course.”
He felt proud of himself, and he should: the course is designed in a very demanding way. I was proud
to see him develop the way he did. This experience added purpose to his expectations, now he wants
to improve and progress.
And so, we continued the discussion making plans about pursuing further education on his next visit.
Roy proved to me that the law of primacy works. From now on, I will apply it without a single doubt
in my mind. And I hope this would inspire other instructors to do the same.
As for me, I have gained a very dear friend as a diver now, with whom I look forward to sharing diving experiences…and this is priceless.
TM