Strange Surfer Wisdom

We all wish life could be a little easier sometimes: peaceful, tranquil, smooth.  I know – I’ve felt that way.

But the last time I found myself in the middle of a turbulent, disruptive, high-pressure life challenge, an image popped unexpectedly into my head.  Now, I’m not a surfer – and I don’t live near an ocean, so you may think this is a little strange… but this is what I saw:

Here is a surfer zooming through a wave tube.  The shot was taken from the point of view of the surfer.

The surfer is traveling at high speeds and is on his or her way out of the tunnel and into the sunshine.

When this image showed up in my head, it was instantly clear to me that my business momentum (and even some rapid personal growth) was happening because of the destructive forces that were around me, coupled with my determination to get out from under them.

Do you have destructive forces around you?

Are you determined to get out from under them?

I had been doing my best to keep my eyes on where I was going, without giving heed to the difficulties that threatened to destroy everything, but it was not an easy thing to do.  I believe this image popping into my head was God’s way of telling me that the challenges I faced were good for me, and that if I didn’t give up, I’d come through just fine.

It amazed me to realize how the destructive forces and my determined focus on the goal were literally working together to help me utilize the power of those destructive forces to propel me forward.

Can you see how hunkering down and keeping my eye on the end of the tunnel was the best thing I could do, rather than looking around and putting my energy into trying to stop the waves from crashing onto me?  Picture that!  Imagine me zooming down a wave tube on a surfboard, and then turning toward the wave, holding my arms out to block the water from pushing me over.  It would be ridiculous, really, and I suspect I’d come away pretty beat up.

Yes, trying to stop the waves is futile – it’s true in surfing, and it’s true in life.

Remember this! Waves of opposition are part of life, and you can destroy yourself trying to push them away.

By letting the waves of opposition just be what they are, you can focus on where you’re going and they become the force that takes you there.

Whether the force propels you or destroys you depends on where you put your focus, energy, and attention.

Surfers understand this principle; and the best in the field are even happiest when the waves coming at them are the most forceful. They’ve learned to make the most of the very thing that threatens to pull them under (or knock them unconscious), and they use it to travel at breakneck speeds out of the dark tunnel and into the light.

Have you heard about the Law of Polarity that says, the worse things are, the better?  Perhaps now you can see why.

The stronger the wave, the faster you can travel.

By contrast, here’s a picture that symbolizes the life we think we want.

I call this picture “shark bait”.

Things are peaceful, but he’s going nowhere.

So be grateful for your challenges… they’re taking you places.  Don’t be overcome by the appearances of impending doom – let them be what they are, and focus on where you’re going.  It’s an exercise of faith to think this way, but one day you’ll look back and understand what all the disappointments, setbacks, and trials were for.

Feeling gratitude now will put your thinking on a frequency that tunes you into the solutions – genius solutions – to your problems that you haven’t even thought of yet.


The raging turbulence in life can propel you toward your goals if you keep your eyes on the horizon.

For more on this topic, read Portal to Genius – FREE.

Leslie Householder
Latest posts by Leslie Householder (see all)

This Post Has 14 Comments

  1. Renee

    Love this analogy! Exactly what I needed to see/read/understand. What a blessing!

  2. Michelle

    Many years ago I had this kind of, “bring it on” attitude and then I lost it somewhere, got scared, and gave up. I have been shark bait for a long time but am now getting back on that board and going for it again! I will be sharing this with my daughter, who is going through her own turbulent wave right now, as her husband leaves for Japan tomorrow for two years, without her. Hard times bring great rewards.

  3. Gordon

    Thank you
    Thank you
    Thank you
    Thank you
    So very much for today’s message :))
    G

  4. Valerie

    This is the best analogy on the law of polarity I’ve ever heard. You go girl! Keep those thoughts and insights coming! Now I’m going to go ride my wave today with gratitude!!!! Thanks!

  5. Schalk

    This was such a wonderful message, Leslie, and I thank you for it. The analogy works wonderfully, and is so easy to grasp. Plus, your message came just at the right time for some members of my family. Thank you, and may God bless you for being such a blessing to so many people.

  6. James

    Wonderful analogy. Often the most powerful learning and growth happens during the most turbulent times. Learning to be energized by the turbulence rather then overcome by it has been a key in my life.

  7. Kevin Chandler

    When my brother taught me a bit of surfing in the Pacific, I always wanted the small, safe waves. But they gave me with too little momentum to really get up and successfully surf. It was the big, scary waves that pushed me hard enough to learn and grow and get up and moving!
    Your timing with this powerful analogy is perfect for me! thank you!
    blessings, Kevin

  8. Denise Webster

    Powerful! Loved the analogy. It will help me keep my focus even better! I’ll be sharing this one! Thanks for all you do!

  9. Lena Larsson

    I see what you mean, but you’ve got to be so strong – and to be grateful is not easy. I’m beginning to understand the importance of faith in all personal development. You’ve got to have faith.

  10. Paul

    Oh man. This was written just for me. 🙂 Thank you for the perspective change. It has seemed that the destructive forces have only been there to try and destroy me. While I haven’t let them, this still really changes my outlook.

  11. Carole

    Wow! What a great perspective. I’ve been going through a period like that, and totally ignoring the turbulance because if I focus on that it will kill me. I don’t know anything about surfing, but I imagine its the same for the surfer.
    Thanks for the cool insight.

  12. DeLynn Cooley

    Whenever I get the prompting to read…What I read is exactly what I need to hear!! THANK YOU, LESLIE!! I need to take time to finish FTMF…

  13. Nancy

    This is such a good analogy. The guy sitting on the surfboard really isn’t going to get anywhere. It is tranquil, but dull. Thanks for a great post and a fabulous reminder!

  14. Alisa

    I can’t wait to see where this turbulence propels me!!! AND I’m grateful I’m not shark bait!!!

    Thanks for another great — and very timely — post!

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