the Practical Skateboarder

Tony Hawk and Jason Ellis sit down with Andy Anderson and Rodney Mullen and ask them “What it Takes to Become a Great Skateboarder.” Andy kicks things off.

Andy Anderson: “Feed the good wolf.”

I think this comes from a Native American fable that each of us has two wolves–a good wolf and a bad wolf. They’re fighting inside each of us, but the one that wins is the one that we feed. So, the decisions you make can either make things better or make things harder–it’s up to you and how you decide with each moment.

The sentiment is echoed by Rodney Mullen from a different lens.

Rodney Mullen: “I think we all have something that’s a little off, and then you seek out stuff that let’s you be free…We tend to be drawn to things that only exacerbate or help leverage the stuff that makes us different to begin with, and so we develop powers that make us even stronger in that independence…I think at the end of the day for as different as we are, we come from such radically different places, we have some connection and bond through skateboarding. And again, to me, that’s the beauty of skateboarding.”

He’s talking about how each of us has tendencies–things that we’re drawn to. The things we choose to do can make those tendencies stronger–for better or worse. When those things strengthen our independence, confidence, and sense of community they can be powerful. But we have to be careful not to fall for our worst tendencies and figure out what to avoid.

Starve the bad wolf.

Rodney and Tony talk about the warning signs they noticed early in their careers–lessons that came in the form of bad decisions that others were making. For Rodney, because of his connection with other skateboarders, saw a lot of himself in these people. But their actions were damaging. Fortunately, Rodney had the wisdom to see how bad things could get and avoid a similar fate as the people he, at one time, respected and trusted. Rather, he turned that connection into a gift that can be used to build up a community.

Rodney Mullen: “I saw people seemingly squared away [successful] that could do not just bad things…[talking about a personal experience where a respected family member and practicing doctor became involved in mysticism and the occult]…seeing that kind of darkness, which is kind of what I’m drawn to…seeing it, that brought me back to light.”

Rodney Mullen: “My point is, being exposed to so many people in skateboarding who were on fringes, on edges, you recognize the whole time we have more in common with them than maybe with the average people around. At least we have this belonging. This, I think if anything, folded me into whatever you do we have a certain amount of gifts…make the most of them. Just go, try to help each other belong. That’s wealth beyond all. What is it that kept me straight? Being exposed to stuff…People so much like you with so much good and there’s darkness.”

For Tony, his core motivation was his drive to get better at skateboarding and that, consequently, he couldn’t let anything distract him from that. Skateboarding wasn’t some hobby–it was his profession, his vocation. Anything less than his best wasn’t acceptable, and anything that got in the way of that was dangerous. Watching others fall as a consequence of their vices, we know in hindsight that Tony made the right choice.

Tony Hawk: “People were partying on the decks, of the ramps, while we were trying to skate. And somehow that was a badge of honor, and I was like ‘that sucks.’ I watched their downfall and their abilities decline. I had Rodney’s mindset…where the priority, and the skating, was paramount to everything else. And I had to do my best skating at every turn–at every video, even just practice sessions–I had to do something that I felt like was impressive to myself to be even content. And then going and doing demos, ‘I’m gonna do everything I have here’ … I had to give it my all every single time. And if I was partying there was no way I could give it my all. It was gonna be half ass, phoning it in. That was not acceptable.”

It’s not enough to merely pursue becoming the best. You have to have something simpler that motivates you. Yeah, the contest wins were great. But that stuff was for the audience. For Tony, at the heart of it, skateboarding was a curiosity–an activity all his own that let him explore and create. Such honest motivations paired with a determination to get better inevitably lead to something remarkable, given enough time and attention. And Tony gave more time and has been doing this longer than just about anyone.

Tony Hawk: [Talking about learning invert to layback airs, a.k.a “accidents”] “It was the day after a contest at Del Mar…the next day, I was like, ‘yes, the contest is over. We can skate the pool however we want.’ And I was just practicing stalling inverts. One I just stalled, and I fell back the other way and held onto it. And that was an accident…I was pretty hyped. It’s funny to think–I didn’t think that was gonna move the needle or anything. I didn’t think I created something new. It was just like, ‘oh man, that was weird.’ I [never thought] I could recreate that on purpose. But, when it happened, I was cool with it.”

Tony Hawk: “the best thing about those days was trying to figure out how to do your stuff on vert. That was the best… [Tony Hawk talking about learning finger flips and how it felt] … you do that kind of thing, and it’s just your own personal achievement and goal. You don’t think anyone will really care. It was just so awkward and bizarre and it wasn’t cool.”

Links: Clip and full episode. Go check it out.