Keep Moving Forwards: How I Find Opportunity in Detours, Disruptions, and Missed Moments

Jan 28
5 min read

Emma Russell paddles in the back of a K2 with her teammate. Both wear white GBR kit with red and blue accents and sunglasses. As they finish their effort, they reach for a high five. — Photo by Garry Bowden

Emma Russell has represented Great Britain in canoe sprint for nearly a decade, earning Junior European and World medals, top-eight global finishes, and recently her first senior international podium. She shares lessons on discipline, pressure, and finding opportunity in unexpected moments.

The journey to success is rarely a straight line. For athletes (and anyone pursuing big goals) there are unexpected turns, obstacles, and detours. Sometimes it’s a small setback. Other times, the entire route shifts. Each change is part of the journey, often revealing new insights about your values and resilience.

My career so far has been shaped by many great moments, but it hasn’t been without challenges. Some were obvious: injury, illness, missed selections. Others were more subtle disruptions that built up over time.

During the 2022 season, while preparing for the women’s K4, illness, injury, and bad weather made it nearly impossible to get all four of us in the boat. At times, I doubted whether we’d even reach the World Championships. Those moments taught me patience, adaptability, and the importance of staying connected to the bigger picture.

We don’t always control the situation we’re placed in. We do control how we respond and what we choose to do next.

World Championships 2022 - Women's K4 500m 8th

MY APPROACH TO NAVIGATING CHALLENGES:

Recognise and process the emotion, but don’t dwell on it.

Instead of brushing off difficult emotions, I give myself space to acknowledge them. Sometimes that means reaching out to someone I trust like a coach, teammate, or support staff who can help me process what I’m feeling and refocus on what matters. I give myself permission to feel whatever I'm feeling fully - frustration, disappointment, whatever’s there.

The next day, I still choose to show up. The emotions may not fade overnight, and the situation might remain unresolved, but I move forward with intention, allowing the feelings to exist without giving them control.

Here’s what I’ve learnt:

Allowing yourself to feel difficult emotions makes it possible to move forward without letting them control your actions. By processing my own emotions, I can show up fully for my teammates, especially when they’re facing challenges of their own.

Emma Russell sits on the pontoon beside her kayak, wearing white GBR kit and sunglasses. A staff member in a navy GBR top crouches nearby, offering support in a quiet post-race moment. — Photo by Garry Bowden

“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” — Jon Kabat-Zinn

Re-ground in routine and structure

When I'm facing a challenge and uncertainty sets in, I lean on routine. Sometimes that means going back to a favourite training session. Other times, when training isn't possible, I adapt. I’ll walk to a café and read my book, giving me space to clear my head, reset, and return with perspective. With a calmer mind and fresh perspective, I can see the bigger picture and remember that this is just one moment of my whole career - it won't last forever. It also gives me a moment to shift my purpose and focus on what I can do in the situation: keeping mobility, staying on top of nutrition and sleep, committing to rehab, and communicating openly with my team. These small actions give me a sense of progress, remind me I’m still moving forward, and keep me connected to my ultimate goal.

Here's what I learnt:

Stepping back to reset can steady your emotions, restore focus, and prepare you to move forward with clarity.

At sunrise in Sevilla, two kayakers paddle beneath an arched bridge on calm water. Emma Russell is on the left, silhouetted against the golden light as reflections shimmer around them.

“It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to rest. True strength is knowing when to reset and return with clarity and confidence.” - Simone Biles

Perform to your best, regardless of circumstances.

You don’t always get to perform in the conditions you imagined but you can always choose how you show up. This year a shoulder injury forced me to adapt my training and accept I wouldn't be at peak strength or speed for the World Championships. I shifted my priority from the 500m to the 1000m. This mindset turned disappointment in the 500m into fuel for the 1000m, where I delivered a personal best and 8th in the world.

Here's what I learnt:

When circumstances aren’t ideal, there’s still the opportunity to show up with full intent. You prove to yourself and your team that focus, discipline, and effort are always within your control.

Emma Russell paddles her kayak, wearing white GBR kit with red and blue accents and sunglasses. She is gritting her teeth as she races down lane 3.

It doesn’t matter if you fall short; it is never a failure to go after your goals with everything you’ve got. - Michael Phelps

See the setback as part of the feedback loop.

Often, what feels like a step backwards is actually a step sideways. My shoulder injury pulled me out of crew boats, but it gave me vital feedback: I needed to focus on rehab, and once my shoulder heals, I will need to adapt my technique and build strength and power to return to crew boats in future seasons. At the same time, the injury shifted my path towards racing individual events at the World Championships - something I had not yet done at Senior level before. What initially felt like a setback became an opportunity to grow, adapt, and embrace new challenges.

Here's what I learnt:

Growth is rarely linear. By reframing setbacks as feedback, you give yourself permission to adapt, learn, and return stronger. In this way, obstacles become stepping stones towards your goal.

Emma Russell sits in her kayak, wearing white GBR kit with red and blue accents and sunglasses. She gives a thumbs-up and smiles, celebrating a strong race.. Other competitors are visible in the background. — Photo by Garry Bowden

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” - Henry Ford

Challenges shape an athlete’s career, but they don’t define it. They reveal strength, focus, and resilience - the qualities that carry us toward our goals. Every detour, disruption, and missed moment holds the chance to grow. Every obstacle can become part of the path. Keep moving, keep adapting, and you’ll always find opportunity in the unexpected.

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