I've never forgotten those words because I find in business, as in skiing, whenever you want to go in a new direction, you have to follow the same advice.
Skiing is all about making turns.
As a beginner, you make big, wide turns across the entire width of the ski run. As a result, there's a moment in each turn in which you realize you're facing straight downhill. That's when you get scared. Business, too, is all about making turns. You have to go in a new direction.