#009 – The Surfer Mentality & 'Joining The Resistance'

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I share 5 interesting ideas every Thursday morning to ignite your curiosity and drive your growth in productivity, business, and all things peak performance.

read time 3 minutes 

#009 at a Glance:

• Quote that will get you thinking: Results & Ambitions

• Podcast you should listen to: All The Hacks with Dan Martell

• Mental Model: Surfer Mentality

• Hack you should try: ‘Joining The Resistance’

• Tweet I liked: Why Clarity Matters

Quote that will get you thinking:

Podcast you should listen to:

All the Hacks with Dan Martell

Dan Martell is a successful entrepreneur, investor, and best-selling author. His insights in this podcast got me thinking critically about how I schedule and manage my own time. I’ve also been using his ‘Seven Pillars of Life’ Excel spreadsheet life tracker since I listened to this episode a few weeks ago. (Skip to 1hr 15mins if you’re curious to know what that involves – highly recommend it).

Very simply: if you want some practical systems from a successful American CEO that are going to genuinely save you loads of time during your day-to-day, then listen to this episode.

Listen on Spotify here. Listen on Apple Podcasts here. Watch on YouTube here.

Mental Model:

Surfer Mentality

When a surfer catches a wave, not only do they have the initial rush of excitement when they see the wave approaching over the horizon, but then the adrenaline of actually standing up and gliding as if defying gravity gives them a feeling of incredible joy and appreciation.

(Disclaimer: their experiences definitely haven’t been mine in the handful of times I’ve been surfing haha. I can only imagine what that feeling must be like. But I digress…)

At the same time, while these surfers are experiencing that euphoric sensation as they ride the peak of that glorious wave, they know full well that it’s not going to last forever and will inevitably come crashing down, dumping them underwater.

Are they disappointed? Hell no, they just rode a wave! Are they worried there’s not going to ever be another wave? Not a chance – there’s always another one coming over the horizon.

The ‘surfer mentality’ is exactly this idea and is actually an amazing metaphor for life.

We have to know that:

1. Sooner or later in our lives, a wave is going to come. (You might even be riding one now! In which case, keep riding that thing.) You will experience that high and ride the peak of that wave, bringing you such joy.

2. It won’t last forever.

3. You will (potentially) stumble and fall.

4. There will ALWAYS be another wave coming.

That model creates this beautiful cycle where we can appreciate amazing moments in our lives knowing that they won’t last forever. BUT at the same time, as the wave ultimately comes to an end, we know that there’s another one just around the corner…

Something for us to keep in mind.

Happy (life) surfing.

Hack you should try:

‘Joining the Resistance’

I heard this awesome negotiation strategy this week that I wanted to share. I think the best way I can explain it is by using the example that was used when I initially came across it.

Here’s the scenario (I’ll explain its significance and application at the end):

A man is at marriage counselling with his wife.

Therapist: “Why are you at therapy?”

Man: “I don’t know, my wife made me come, there’s no point in us being here.”

Therapist: “Surely there must be a reason, let’s try to talk about what could potentially be wrong.”

Man: “I’m telling you there’s nothing wrong, we don’t need to be here!”

Therapist: “That’s wonderful! It must be so amazing to know you’re in a loving and fulfilling relationship with open and honest communication between you and your wife.”

Man: “That’s not true, we argue all the time because….”

See what the therapist did there. The strategy the therapist took is called ‘joining the resistance’. It’s this idea that when you’re being faced with an individual who is resisting your help or advice, simply join that resistance and in doing so, you highlight the need for your help/advice.

Pretty clever right?

Tweet I liked:

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading!

Grateful for your support.

Stay hungry, stay humble, & stay curious. ⚡

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