13/01/2024
The Surfer Mentality:
When a surfer gets up on a wave, they enjoy the moment, even though they know the wave will eventually end.
They fully enjoy *this wave* with the wisdom and awareness that there are always more waves coming.
The surfer knows that they don't have to ride every single wave that comes their way. They have the freedom and the power to choose which waves to take, and which waves to let pass by.
The surfer knows that 90% of the time they won't be riding any wave, but just paddling and waiting. They know that sometimes there will be long, painful periods between the waves. They are aware that patience and proper positioning is all that matters.
The surfer knows that the only way to live is by putting themself out there in the water. You can't catch any waves sitting on the shore. There's always a risk of getting crushed by a wave, but the rewards are worth it.
The surfer knows that sometimes a wave will crash down on them and hold them underwater. They are able to weather these hits with a stoic awareness that remaining fluid will serve them better than stiffening to fight the waves.
The Surfer Mentality has broad-based applications across all of our lives.
Here are my 5 takeaways:
1. Enjoy Your Next Wave
The next time you find yourself riding a positive wave, enjoy it! Don't worry about how long it will last, when it will end, or whether you will ever ride such a beautiful wave again. Just slow down and appreciate where you are in the present. Trust that there will be more waves in the future.
2. Be Strategic About Positioning
There's a tendency to passively wait between waves—but there's so much you can do in those liminal moments to set yourself up for a better ride. Think about your positioning and how you can make tweaks or changes that will put you in an advantageous spot when a wave does come.
3. Pass on More Waves
When you're young, you want to ride every single wave. But when you catch the first wave that comes your way, you may miss the better one that came right after it. Learn to pass on more waves and wait for the right one.
4. Always Get in the Surf
There's nothing good that happens sitting on the shore. Even if it's scary, get in the water.
5. Be Like Water
When you get crushed by a wave, don't resist the water, be like the water. With grief in particular, it's ok to just be and experience it rather than trying to fight it. Let it come over you and trust that it will diminish with time.
So as you approach the days ahead, think about adopting the Surfer Mentality:
Enjoy every ride while it lasts!
