Last weekend I went surfing at Raglan, a fine left hand surf break on the west coast of New Zealand. As I sat on my board out the back I watched the ‘pack.’ (The pack is the other surfers out there waiting for the next set of waves to roll up.)
As per the 80 20 rule, most of the surfers were waiting for the medium sized waves. Then there were a handful of surfers way out waiting for the bigger waves. So there were more medium waves, but the competition much fiercer.
Ironically, this meant the bigger waves were actually easier to get.
Here’s the catch though: the downside was definitely greater. Wiping out on a set wave is more memorable than being tumbled by one of the smaller waves.
But that’s the game of surfing. It’s not about being safe. You need to enjoy the challenge and the risk.
So how does this apply to business?
Well, where the rewards are bigger, the competition is often less. That’s why it’s a good idea to aim high. While it may seem easier to go for the mid range, actually it’s tougher, because everyone’s there.
Aim high, and you’ll bypass 80% of your competition.
And now, because there’s really so much in life that I’ve learnt from surfing, here’s a few quick points:
- There is no use in getting angry or fustrated at waves.They do what they do. They are a force of nature and couldn’t care less about you.
- If it’s really crowded you have two options – get amongst it. OR go find another break
- When it comes to the moment when you have to make the drop into the wave – have total commitment. Half-trying to catch a wave is much more dangerous than going all out
- Surf with people who are better than you. You’ll learn faster.
- Always push your comfort zone. Surf in a waves that scare you.
- If a wave is dumping, don’t catch it.
- You have to get dumped a few times before you learn to recognize a dumping wave.
- Localism (only letting locals surf at a particular break) is only practised by people who have never really traveled.
- You can’t catch a wave before it’s about to break. You can’t catch it after it’s broken.
You have to be in exactly the right place at the right time, and be moving in the right direction.
And no two waves are the same. - Never trust a surfer who says they’re “just going for a half hour surf.”
