Surfing is gaining more and more popularity. Investors are building wave pools and it will be on the next Olympics.
So far so good.
I am not sure how all of that is going to affect the sport itself (and I am not even getting started on that debate), but I am sure that surfing is a lot of
fun.
Over the last two years it became my favorite thing to do and along that way I had to (and still have to) learn a few things, that also make sense when applied in
real life.
Let‘s have a look:
1. It‘s not all about Turns, Airs and the Longest Ride.
We might forget that 99% of surfing is paddling, positioning, dealing with other surfers, being under water, waiting and before it even starts: Choosing the right time and place!
At the same time this is what makes catching a wave so special: The work we put into achieving this goal.
2. Don‘t Chase every Wave.
Probably the hardest lesson to learn in and out of the water.
It is very tempting to just go after every wave that comes along our way. We can do that, but then we run danger of missing the „good ones“.
It is a waste of our energy and at the same it‘s pretty annoying for the other surfers around us.
Choose your wave and then go for it 100%.
3. Be Ready.
Every wave just comes once, there is no second attempt. A nightmare for procastrinators.
The time is now has never been so accurate. Being in position and having nobody in priority around us doesn‘t happen all the time.
Once the circumstances allow us to go, there is no reason to not go.
4. Learn from Others.
Surfing alone is pretty challenging unless you really know your beach and tides.
Others give us an idea on where to paddle and where to take off. The ocean is different every day. Seeing other surfers gives us an idea of the waves.
It can safe us a lot of energy to observe others trying to find their ideal spot in the line up.
5. Commitment is the Key.
In order to evolve our surfing we need to be patient about our progress. If you think learning to Snowboard is frustrating, because it might take 2-3 days before you can do proper turns, then better stay away from surfing.
Moderne material and coaching helps us a lot, but it will take some time before we catch our first green wave. Once we are capable of doing that, we have to go back to Step 1-4!
6. Value the Moments.
Once we caught our best wave ever, we have to give ourselves the permission to be proud of what we did. Feeling the joy about achieving a goal after trying for a long time is a huge source for happiness.
It motivates us to keep improving and lifts our mood when things are not going our way.
7. Take a Break.
We need to find a balance between work and rest. Our surfing doesn‘t improve when we get tired, but it also doesn‘t get any better when we lay in a hammock all-day-everyday.
Getting to know our limits and respecting them will eventually help us to expand our comfort zones for upcoming challenges.
Only when we know ourselves we can trust ourselves.
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