Surfing Through Business... Lessons Found in the Ocean

Ever since I moved to the Jersey Shore in 2021, I've been trying to learn how to surf. The challenge has been immense. There are good reasons why many consider surfing to be one of the hardest sports to pick up, learn, and master. It is exclusive in that you must break into a culture that many find foreign, intimidating, and out of reach. It is physically demanding in a way that is unlike any other sport I've encountered. The ocean is punishing; it doesn't care if you are weak, tired, distracted, or unskilled. The sea will treat you the same, regardless of your situation.

Over the past few years, I have dedicated time and effort to learning the sport of surfing in the waves of Sandy Hook, Long Branch, and Bradley Beach, New Jersey. Despite picking up sports quickly in the past, the process of learning to surf has been humbling. However, as I have made slow progress, I have begun to understand the sport on a deeper level. Surfing requires good positioning, vision, patience, learning new skills, and, most importantly, having a lot of fun! The more time I spend paddling through the waves to reach the lineup, the more I realize that there are many parallels between surfing and other aspects of my life.

I'd like to share some valuable lessons I've learned while surfing that can add value in business. Reflecting on the challenging and rewarding parts of my career, I want to offer some insights from the perspective of a surfer. Enjoy!

Positioning is key when you need to play both offense and defense.

When waiting to catch a wave, you should position yourself in the lineup, beyond the breaking waves, and close to where the wave is forming. This position gives you both an offensive and defensive advantage in the water. Offensively, you can quickly identify approaching waves and take advantage of their energy and momentum. Defensively, being positioned outside the breaking waves prevents them from slowing you down and draining your stamina. Similarly, in our professional lives, it's important to assess the best position to play offense and defense when working towards our goals. While we always put our best effort into our work, the specific positioning within our team, department, or organization can make a significant difference.

Always look where you want to go.

When catching and riding a wave, new surfers can get caught up in the moment and focus solely on the nose of the board and what is happening in front of them. However, if they do this, the board may nose-dive and send the rider over the front and into the surf. To avoid this, surfers are taught to always look where they want to go, not where they are currently headed. By doing so, the body and mind naturally align with the rider’s intentions, helping them surf down the line effectively. This concept also applies to life. To make progress towards your goals, it's important to define your destination and stay focused on it despite the inevitable challenges.

Sometimes you get caught inside a set. Don’t panic and be patient.

If you continue surfing, you may eventually get caught inside by a set of waves. This means that you couldn't paddle out to the lineup and past the break before the next set of waves came in. In this situation, depending on the size of the surf and the period between waves, you might struggle to stay on the surface. When this happens, DON'T PANIC. Relax and move with the opposing energy. Focus on controlling your breathing and staying calm. Keep yourself connected with your board and remember that a long hold-down is only about 30 seconds. If you stay calm and relaxed, you will soon get through the stressful situation. In most stressful or challenging situations, such as financial hardship, relational conflict, or work deadlines, the intensity and emotion usually subside quickly, allowing for clearer vision and thoughts to take over. Don't panic if you get caught inside. Stay calm and understand that this difficult situation will also pass.

Learn how to read waves!

This simple and intuitive piece of advice seems easy enough, but in the beginning, it's hard to decipher the subtle signs of an incoming wave. Waves provide plenty of hints well in advance of what's about to happen. Where will it break? Will it break right or left down the line? Where is the highest point of the wave? Will it close out? If you can interpret the subtle signs as a wave approaches, such as its speed, volume, color, and shoulder position, you are well on your way to catching a green wave and enjoying that thrilling ride. If you can't, all your efforts of positioning and patience will be wasted since your chances of riding a wave will be close to none. Learn what's necessary to do the job. Whether you learn beforehand or on the job, don't think you will succeed without understanding how best to read the situation and respond accordingly.

Surfing is hard! Enjoy the journey.

Many people try surfing while on vacation or through a friend during a lesson. The instructor takes care of everything to make the experience enjoyable. They provide the equipment, pick an appropriate break, give clear instructions, and even push you into your first wave. It is not uncommon for a first-time beginner to stand up on a wave with an instructor's help on the very first day! However, after this introduction to surfing, the beginner quickly realizes the extent of the difficulty ahead and most likely will decide to quit the sport. Perhaps they realize the difficulty isn't enjoyable, or that the goal isn’t worth the effort. Maybe they can’t see a path where they will recreate the feeling of standing on a wave for themselves, and they quit. The point here is that nothing worthwhile is easy, and you will need to enjoy the difficult journey if you are to succeed and achieve what others will not.

Thanks for reading!

Tony

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My name is Tony Clarke, and I’m passionate about diving into customer problems and solving them through sound operational processes integrated with great tech. With this, I have a history of building successful businesses that have changed today’s consumer landscape. I’ve focused on controlling my key controllable inputs, building high-performing teams, and quickly adapting to changing environments and requirements.

I am always open to meeting new people and hearing new perspectives. Besides my career I enjoy raising my children and experiencing their “1sts” as they explore their world, fitness and being outdoors, Crossfit, snowboarding, surfing, golf, and central Texas barbeque!