Scarcity

When it comes to surfing, I've realized that I become more greedy when I adopt the mindset of scarcity.

Maybe I’m short on time before I need to get out & go to work. Maybe the waves aren’t firing that day, so the rideable waves are far more rare. Maybe I’m coming to the end of my session and I don’t feel I’ve caught “enough” for the day.

No matter the case, I get more greedy when I believe in scarcity.

My solve for this mentality was to ask myself before paddling out:

“How many waves do I need today?”

When I was just beginning, the answer was 2. I’d tell myself:

“If only I can catch 2 waves, then this can be considered a ‘successful session’.” 

At the start, this helped push me past my insecurity and stay in the water longer, even as I was “failing” consistently. It helped me build up my Time on Wave while I was still progressing.

But, this goal-setting had its tradeoffs. With this mark in mind, I’d always jump at the first wave I saw. Antsy, excited, and charging toward my expectation, I convinced myself that if I didn’t take this wave, then there might not be a “next one.” And if there wasn’t, then I’d go home with the shame of labeling it a “failed session.”

Taking the first wave has its setbacks too. Waves come in sets, which is why experienced surfers tend to let the first wave pass. They take this lil extra time to get in a better position. Sure, if there’s only 1 rideable wave in the set, then they run the risk of missing it. However, their patience often gets rewarded. If they wait for the 2nd or the 3rd, then they’re ready for primetime just as these latter waves start cresting.

So, they were often happy to let the young, aggressive guy (read: me) paddle extra hard to rush into the first one.

Once I noticed this, I shifted my approach. I changed my goal-setting mindset to a recognition of the ocean’s abundance. I started believing:

“There'll be plenty of good waves. I don’t need to force it. I can embrace whatever the ocean gives me. I can afford to be patient.”

So, I’d peacefully let the first wave pass, as I’d calmly paddle into position. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes, I’d miss them. But, for the times that they hit, my rides weren’t rushed… they were glorious.

This abundance approach also had a derivative benefit. If the lineup was crowded that day, then I wouldn’t get anxious. I didn’t need to “get mine,” because my expectation was already cleared. (It's easy to clear a bar of zero.) So, rather than feel competitive with the other surfers, I experienced sympathetic joy for their success. They were no longer enemies in a zero-sum game. They were potential friends.

As I gave away waves to the more hungry surfers, I just bobbed up & down, waiting for the next wave’s arrival, while enjoying my tranquility.

So, now, when I have the pre-session internal conversation, I’ve shifted my answer:

“How many waves do I need today?”

“None. I’ve got enough already. I’m just happy to be here.”

P.S. - sometimes I borrow my friend, Nick's answer:

“How many waves do I need today?”

“I don’t need to catch any. I just wanna get clobbered, utterly domed, ruthlessly tossed around, by 1 big one. I want to get humbled. Then, I can go home.”

Talk about Jedi-esque low-expectation setting...