Post by BBE on Jul 9, 2008 13:41:55 GMT -5
Hi Marty,
I read this article about the life lessons surfer Laird Hamilton says he learned from surfing. A lot of these remind me of your philosophies of life. Do you agree with what he wrote, and would you add anything from your own experience with surfing?
Nancy
Here's a brief version of the article:
Wisdom of the wave
Laird Hamilton shares life lessons learned from surfing.
By Melanie D.G. Kaplan
Surfing legend Laird Hamilton says the ocean is one of the greatest teachers.
Hamilton says in every venture, every new experience, he applies these lessons he has learned on the water:
GO BIG OR GO HOME. "You can't kind of catch a wave. You either catch it or you don't. It's a commitment. That's just like anything else -- you either go or you don't. He who hesitates is lost in the end."
LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. "You have a feeling about things. You think something doesn't feel right, then you look and see a shark. As a species, humans are growing away from listening to their instinct. It's a learned skill based on survival and then reacting. The more you listen to your instinct and then react to it, the more you awaken the spirit, and that helps you make good decisions, no matter where you are."
PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. "People talk about their problems. Stuck in traffic? That's not a problem. A problem is when you're 80 miles offshore and have no way to get back."
KNOW THAT YOU ARE A SPECK ON THE WATER. "The ocean has been around long before people got here and will be here long after. The humility you learn from being in the ocean is a constant reminder of your vulnerability."
KEEP LEARNING. "Surfing is probably one of the most difficult sports. The waves don't care about your bank account, your ancestry, your intelligence. It's just you working the water. And the more I learn, the more I don't know. That's an ocean lesson."
BE DETERMINED. "With determination, most things will be quite easy. You go out and get hammered by a wave and then by another one and another one, and you think, 'OK, I'm still here.' And then you get a good wave, and you've made it. The one thing that's great about surfing is that there's no right or wrong way. "
DON'T GET STALE. "Ideas [about new surfing techniques and new sports] come out of boredom and my desire to be passionate. You have to figure out ways to make things exciting and interesting. When something I've been doing for a while becomes popular, I'm beyond it. So by default, I end up being different. It's that whole desire to keep inspiring and keep renewing your passion."
I read this article about the life lessons surfer Laird Hamilton says he learned from surfing. A lot of these remind me of your philosophies of life. Do you agree with what he wrote, and would you add anything from your own experience with surfing?
Nancy
Here's a brief version of the article:
Wisdom of the wave
Laird Hamilton shares life lessons learned from surfing.
By Melanie D.G. Kaplan
Surfing legend Laird Hamilton says the ocean is one of the greatest teachers.
Hamilton says in every venture, every new experience, he applies these lessons he has learned on the water:
GO BIG OR GO HOME. "You can't kind of catch a wave. You either catch it or you don't. It's a commitment. That's just like anything else -- you either go or you don't. He who hesitates is lost in the end."
LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. "You have a feeling about things. You think something doesn't feel right, then you look and see a shark. As a species, humans are growing away from listening to their instinct. It's a learned skill based on survival and then reacting. The more you listen to your instinct and then react to it, the more you awaken the spirit, and that helps you make good decisions, no matter where you are."
PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. "People talk about their problems. Stuck in traffic? That's not a problem. A problem is when you're 80 miles offshore and have no way to get back."
KNOW THAT YOU ARE A SPECK ON THE WATER. "The ocean has been around long before people got here and will be here long after. The humility you learn from being in the ocean is a constant reminder of your vulnerability."
KEEP LEARNING. "Surfing is probably one of the most difficult sports. The waves don't care about your bank account, your ancestry, your intelligence. It's just you working the water. And the more I learn, the more I don't know. That's an ocean lesson."
BE DETERMINED. "With determination, most things will be quite easy. You go out and get hammered by a wave and then by another one and another one, and you think, 'OK, I'm still here.' And then you get a good wave, and you've made it. The one thing that's great about surfing is that there's no right or wrong way. "
DON'T GET STALE. "Ideas [about new surfing techniques and new sports] come out of boredom and my desire to be passionate. You have to figure out ways to make things exciting and interesting. When something I've been doing for a while becomes popular, I'm beyond it. So by default, I end up being different. It's that whole desire to keep inspiring and keep renewing your passion."
