surf's up

When you start learning surfing, it feels like your mind is in battle with your body and nature’s unending variables. Imagine facing a huge body of water headed with more power than we can possibly muster headed towards you and it is just you and a piece of flint for the sea that is your surfboard is the only think between you and getting tossed into unknown waters or falling flat on your face or maybe worse.

Facing something new at work with just an idea in hand can feel like that. Challenges can seem too much for you to take on, or you might end up feeling like your input might not mean much when you think of the big picture. Standing on top of a board and riding a wave to the shores of success might seem like an impossible dream to have. Because more times than not, especially when you start but also when you have mastered the art of surfing, there will be waves that fail to give you the right push to gain the kind of momentum you’d like, catch you unaware or overwhelm you and wipe you out.

Why do it then? Why take a wave head on? Why surf? Why risk a wipeout?

Because of the incredible high that you get when you manage to catch a wave and ride it out. All of the pain and bruises from the training and wipeouts wash away in that singular moment as you become one with one of nature’s splendors. Every wave that you catch or not, whether it is big or not, creates a unique scenario and teaches you lessons for life in quick thinking, decision making, not quitting, overcoming obstacles, being bigger than your fear and so much more.

When I land a pitch, an engagement, or an idea and it resonates with the customer, I feel the same high. Gaining momentum with the initial discussions, looking out for the big swells of ideas that arise during discussions and brainstorming, getting off to the right start by paddling through all the info at hand, popping up on the board without the fear of fall, balancing out any changes that get thrown your way, landing on the shore firmly and surely - all of these drive me to keep picking up my board, turn to the horizon and face the next big wave.

What drives you to dive back in when the surf is up? Let me know