The surf school descends on the water and the personalities come straight into play. The bold and the brave make a mad paddle for out the back, the young and the playful hunt for waves close to shore where the whitewater provides an easy pick up; the “not so sure”, somehow sit between the two, not sure if they head out the back and not wanting to be seen close to shore. Constrained by fear, constrained by their desire not to be seen than less of what they wish to be seen.
The bold and the brave end up sitting in a void, a place where the waves don’t break. All in various guises of sitting and lying on their boards waiting so patiently for a wave that will never come.
The young and the playful rack up a wave tally to envy, catching plenty of the whitewater and many standing in the process. The only fear they have is if their fin getting stuck in the sand, bringing them and their progress to a crashing halt.
The “not so sure” aren’t sure. Caught mostly at the breaking zone, unable to pick off breaking waves, too powerful to pick up the whitewater. They spend most of their session paddling around and trying to break through waves. They get exhausted
The surf school session evolves and they all catch something. The young and the playful catch a mountain of waves that ignites a spark for surfing. The bold and the brave catch the feeling of being one with the ocean and the starting point to reading its moods. Some catch the biggest waves of their lives. The grind of surfing was given to the ones in the middle. The acknowledgement of hard work but fear holds them back.
Have you even been caught in the middle? Fear holding you from taking the ultimate steps and the hard work and the grind removes the fun.
Have you ever just played in the shore break enjoying the waves for what they are.
Or have you ever taken that bold step to paddle out the back, to get out of your comfort zone, and ride the biggest wave of the day.
Tony shared this on the CoachCurl Podcast Episode 28. Lessons from the surf and the Psychology of a Surf School.
