You would be surprised at how many great life lessons surfing can teach you.
Do you believe your curiosity brought you here just to be entertained?
Who knows? Maybe there is a deeper meaning hidden behind it. If you persist, you might see how it can positively impact your life.
We are not aware, but we need it!
Nowadays, we live so much in our heads that we no longer know what it is to feel and be present.
When was the last time you felt alive, joyful, and playful?
I felt all of it when I entered the ocean with a surfboard for the very first time. Let me share what life lessons this seven-year-long surfing journey taught me.
Lesson 1: Don’t let the fear of failing keep you from trying
Every fail is just one step closer to success. If you don’t fail, you are not even trying.
Denzel Washington
Let’s be honest.
If you want to learn to surf, you need to embrace failing. There is no way around it. We will fall a lot, but so what? It’s just water.
Learn to accept it and find a way to have fun with it.
The nose of your board just went under the water. Yay, almost a scorpion!
Did the wave swap you off your board, and you entered the washing machine? Yay! How many times did you turn around?
Get back up. There is an excellent possibility you will learn more with the next wave!
When I was younger, I tried to avoid failure at all costs. I used to beat myself up and get trapped in negative self-talk for days. Surprisingly, I see it as essential for growth now. Additionally, I learned to embrace it, and I refuse to let the fear of failure keep me in my comfort zone.
The only failure is not trying!
Lesson 2: It’s not about perfection, it’s about progress
Why do we get upset at ourselves when missing a wave or having a wipeout?
Aw, they used to call me an angry surfer. I couldn’t see this one before.
The answer is simple: we expect ourselves always to be perfect.
We also want to catch and ride all the waves without falling off the board.
In the first place, is this realistic?
Well, you know how it was in your first class, right?
To make the surf more enjoyable, stop counting the waves and focus on learning each day how to be better than you were yesterday. Mainly it´s about having better thoughts, making better decisions and taking better actions.
Just show up, focus on your growth and learn every day! BABY STEPS COUNT! Set a small stepping stone to get you where you want to be.
At the end of the day, ask yourself: What did you learn today? In which way did you grow today?
Lesson 3: Mastery doesn’t come in a day, be patient.
Have you ever tried something new and given up quickly if you didn’t see the desired results?
It’s common for people to talk about overnight successes, but that’s because they only see the end result, not the hard work that went into achieving it. We often miss opportunities because we’re only interested in things that require minimal effort and provide instant gratification.
Achieving something meaningful takes long-term commitment, creating realistic expectations, and practicing delayed gratification.
Lesson 4: Get out of your head – be present
You can’t surf the past wave, neither the future one. The only one you have is the one that’s present in here and now.
Mili
Are you aware of your surroundings, or are you just running around stressed and full of worries? Do you notice the little kind acts around you? Or does your mind constantly wander around all the problems and troubles?
Don’t miss those moments because you get too anxious about the future or trapped in the past.
This moment we have right here, right now is the most important of all.
Remind yourself of this in any situation you face during your day because those moments will also become history in the next moment.
“This late afternoon, as I paddled out, I felt very grateful. The warm sun shone on my face. I watched other surfers cheering at each other and hearing them scream joyfully when riding on the wave. The wonderful sunset gave the ocean a magical purple colour. Moreover, I turned to the other side, where the moon was rising. Shining brightly and reflecting in the water. Wow! What a day!“
Lesson 5: The only constant in life is change
Some people cling to the familiar, becoming frustrated when conditions change. I used to be one of them.
When life becomes predictable, and we already know what to expect, doesn’t it become monotonous?
Surfers quickly adapt to changing conditions, such as tides, winds, and moving sandbanks. We embrace change, as it makes life more exciting and fulfilling.
I have learned as one of those life lessons that life, much like the ocean, can be highly unpredictable. The sooner you accept this fact and adapt, the more fun you can have along the way.
Surprisingly, has the tide changed? Great! Let’s move to a different peak with better waves.
What if suddenly you spot a big set of waves coming, and everyone is paddling out? Will you stay where you are or paddle with them?
Life happens. Adapt. Embrace change, and make the most of everything that comes your way.
Nick Jonas
Lesson 6: Opportunities are like waves
“One of the great perks of being a surf coach is that every day brings a new opportunity to meet wonderful people worldwide. I can’t even count how many they were by now. But I know every interaction makes me more connected with the world and helps me understand.”
Mili
Sometimes, a split-second hesitation can determine whether you get a ride. The ocean teaches us to react quickly.
Be decisive and react quickly. If you hesitate, someone else will take it.
Lesson 7: Focus on what you can control vs. what you can’t control
Ah, did the condition worsen today compared to yesterday’s surfing? Well, getting upset won’t change it.
Your attitude, actions, and thoughts are the ones you can control. Unlike everything else, it is beyond your control.
The sooner you understand this, the quicker you can direct your energy more effectively.
Lesson 8: Trade your expectations for appreciation
We shouldn’t forget to include those life lessons to look for something good in any given condition.
How blessed you are to be in the ocean on Monday morning while others count the hours in their office.
Ask yourself, in challenging situations, “What’s great about this?” At first, you might say, “Nothing!” But if you keep asking yourself long enough, you will find something to be grateful for.
Lesson 9: Focus on enjoying the journey
At the end of the surfing class, I walked to meet our students, and with curiosity and excitement, I asked them, “So, how was it?” The answer I sometimes receive back is, “It was great. I had fun, but I only got three good waves.”
Why do we think the number of ridden waves is more important than the ENJOYMENT OF THE PROCESS?
The conditioning of our society, parents, education, … the FORMULA where SUCCESS=RESULTS.
If you want to bring more joy to your surf and your life, forget the numbers. Learn to be more present. Get out of your head and feel more. Enjoy every moment.
Lesson 10: Effort over talent
When someone tells me they don’t have a talent for surfing, my reply is, “What nonsense.”
Even the most talented can be outworked by someone with the drive and desire to succeed. It doesn’t matter if you take longer than the person you see next to you. What matters is that you persist because you can get there, too.
To understand this, you need to learn more about mindset, which is like a muscle. It grows the more you use it.
Lesson 11: Comparison is the killer of the joy
We’ve all been there. To begin with, you take a class and look around to see who is there and how well they are doing. What’s more, if they are doing better, you feel inferior. If you know you are better, your ego is happy.
Once, I read an excellent quote:
Do not compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter twenty.
This made me realise that we have different backgrounds and do not have the same starting point. Therefore, it’s wiser to direct our energy and only compare today’s version to who we were yesterday.
At first, I knew nothing about surfing. Today, I know a little more. Given that, each time I show up, I can improve by at least one percent.
Just look back at where you are now and where you used to be ten years ago. How little did you know compared to what you know now? 🙂
Lesson 12: Confidence is the outcome of the thoughts we think and the actions we take
When you see those advanced surfers, they look very confident, but they weren’t always this way. It’s the same as me teaching surfing, haha.
Confidence comes from being brave and taking action.
Chloe Brotheridge
Trade your doubtful thoughts for positive self-talk and back it up with action.
When you see them surfing, they certainly don’t concentrate on how they might fail or miss this wave. Even more, they focus on what they want, tell themselves encouraging words, look for the possibility the wave offers, commit, and take action to achieve it.
Confidence is a muscle we build with time. Be kind to yourself. You get this!
Final words on life lessons
In sum, you might already notice some changes after a few surf sessions. Moreover, if you persist and are open to learning those hidden life lessons, you might see how they transform your life.
To conclude, all of those are beautiful analogies to life.
I want to leave you with the best life lessons: live every moment as if it were the last. Feel more, live more.
Thank you for your time.
Mili