Surfers spend many hours of practice, focus, motivation, and resilience learning how to ride waves and then mastering and improving their surfing technique and style. Just like many other athletes, professional surfers use the same methodology to produce excellent results. In fact, the skills, tools, and resources that they use are the same that we need to use to achieve anything in life, and it all comes down to our mindset.
The mindset of surfers offers a unique view of life. Surfers often have a natural lightness about living and about the meaning of their being. We can surely appreciate the surfer’s positive mindset and learn from their way of life.
In many ways, our mindset plays a huge role in what we can and can’t accomplish. Whether it is about becoming the best at what we do or just enjoying what we like to do, the way we think makes a difference. So, what are the different mindsets that one can have, and how can we improve the way we approach things in life?
FIXED MINDSET VS GROWTH MINDSET
There are two different types of mindsets: Fixed mindsets and growth mindsets.
Often, clients come to me to describe their goals or obstacles. They are stuck and don’t know what’s holding them from reaching the next level in their sports careers. I uncover their mental blockages and patterns, and it’s quite evident that the shift that needs to happen is in their mindset. The problem is that many of them believe their mindset can’t change.
When you have a fixed mindset, you tend to believe that your personality, intellect, and creative abilities can’t change, which can prevent you from reaching optimal performance levels.
Some of you might be skeptical when reading my articles and learning about the practices I suggest for becoming a better surfer. Or even just trying to improve your surfing and lifestyle might seem too challenging or unrealistic. Why? Most probably because you have a fixed mindset.
Mindset is how you view yourself and your abilities. If you doubt yourself, you have already lost half the battle. A fixed mindset can cause you to fail before you start, and you might find yourself giving up early at the slightest sign of frustration.
A growth mindset, on the other hand, will consistently improve you even when facing setbacks and difficulties. It enables you to see the possibility of improving beyond what you think is your limit.
DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET
It is a common misconception that becoming a great surfer means only having a great technique. However, it has been proven that technique alone does not make an athlete a winner. The greatest athletes are those with a strong mind and body.
With a growth mindset, we are more liberated. Challenges are welcomed, our outlook is almost always positive, and failure is a gateway to grow emotionally and professionally.
The growth mindset is about learning more rather than seeking approval or having unrealistic expectations. It is about having a positive, focused mindset that fosters your creativity, relationships, and choices, allowing you to live fully. This mindset is excellent because it is a blank canvas for you to develop and reach optimal performance levels. This means you can take your most important interests and ideas and improve them by making that effort. Everyone can change, learn, and grow.
HOW TO DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET
Focus on what you can learn and improve:
It is pointless dwelling on what’s not working for you; instead, you could focus on your future and improve by investing in yourself and your daily practices. It just takes a little bit of work and a change in mindset.
Get rid of what slows you down:
Why choose people who only stroke your ego and don’t push you enough to grow? And why insist on keeping your old habits of endless scrolling on social media? You need to be able to let go of your old ways to change your outcomes.
Get out of your comfort zone:
You can only change your mindset when entering the growth stage and leaving your comfort zone behind. Try new ideas, try different approaches, and be curious. “Insanity is trying the same thing repeatedly and expecting the same results.” Albert Einstein
The fixed and growth mindsets we adopt at a very early age have a lot to do with how our behavior develops as we reach adulthood, how we deal with our relationships, and how we tackle obstacles in all aspects of our lives, which in turn will affect our ability to lead a happy life.
Becoming a better surfer, a better partner, a colleague, and a better human comes down to the power of changing your mindset, both consciously and unconsciously, and how changing even the simplest of them can profoundly impact your happiness and your pathway to success.
SUMMARY:
- There are two types of Mindset: A growth mindset and a fixed mindset
- You need to develop a growth mindset to be successful in life
- To develop a growth mindset, focus on what you can improve
- Let go of what slows you down
- Get out of your comfort zone
