Jason West was undoubtedly one of the stars of the season in 2023, as the 30 year old American surged up the world rankings to move from PTO World #23 at the start of the campaign to PTO World #3 by the end of the year.
Podiums at the PTO Tour US Open and PTO Tour Asian Open were the biggest prizes of the season, however West laid the foundations for what was to come with three consecutive podiums, including two wins, at the beginning of the year on US soil.
Reflecting on that early segment of the season, West pinpoints how those performances set the tone for his best year yet and how the lessons he learnt from each individual race led to greater and greater successes.
“Each performance is an opportunity to learn”
Taking to social media to share his thoughts after an action packed year of racing, West underlines the importance of reflecting on his achievements before moving forward to 2024.
“As I prepare for 2024, it’s important that I reflect back on 2023 and what this season has taught me. Each performance is an opportunity to learn, reflect, and refine. I’m sharing what my races have taught me this year and how those lessons shaped me as an athlete.”
For West in particular, the attitude with which he went into races was an important factor in the early season, as the Boulder-based pro shared a strong belief in how your intentions can change outcomes.
“I think the attitude and intention that you go into something with can totally change the outcome. How we view ourselves is the only thing that matters, and we’re capable of a whole lot more than we think we are sometimes, […], when you keep fighting with everything, you never know how well it could turn out.”
Another big lesson for West came from taking a step back to look at the bigger picture, with improvements as part of the process becoming more valuable than quick fixes and instant successes in what turned out to be an eight month long season.
“I think as long as you are making improvements, you’ll get the benefits of that in one way or another. It allows you to continue making long-term improvements and feel like you can continue to build your performance as you go. I get less tied to specific things that I need to see, and more excited about just making sure my process is moving in the right direction.”
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