The Ocean vs an MBA
I have a theory that the principles required for surfing can be applied to the world of start-ups.
Careers guidance councillors at university would have you believe that everyone requires an MBA in order to even have a chance of building a successful business. Fortunately this is considered by many to be a myth. However, if this is the case then where else can you turn in order to learn the elusive start up meta-skills set? There are likely a thousand and one decent answers to this question, but for me it lies in the ocean. I reckon that the principles required to be a great surfer can also be applied to the realm of start-ups.
Diving in for the first time
Jumping head first into a start-up fresh from a cosy university lecture theatre is not dissimilar to cautiously picking your way across a sharp coral reef and then having the guts to launch yourself into intimidating waves for the first time. The icy water steals your breath and your enthusiasm is suddenly called into question. Overwhelmed with powerful feelings of both trepidation and excitement, in both cases you’re stepping miles out of your comfort zone.
These scenarios can appear somewhat intimidating and unforgiving to newcomers. It’s easy to lose focus on your business idea or be demotivated by the perpetual walls of crushing white-water and strong rip currents you must overcome. Despite giving it everything you have, it can sometimes feel like you’re going backwards. That said, the rewards – once you reach them – could not feel any more exhilarating.
Just go with the flow
Writing over a hundred years ago Jack London eloquently explained the best tactic to employ when you get hit by big waves:
“The whole method of surf-riding and surf-fighting, I learned, is one of non-resistance. Dodge the blow that is struck at you. Dive through the wave that is trying to slap you in the face. Sink down, feet first, deep under the surface, and let the big smoker that is trying to smash you go by far overhead. Never be rigid. Relax.”
This same tactic works just as well in a start up environment. If you are constantly trying to fight small deviations from your original idea, or refuse to adapt to innovations in the industry, or simply remain unable to be flexible during the course of unexpected daily events, you’ll very quickly run out of steam. Being open to new ideas and knowing when it is time to adapt or switch track is one of a start-ups greatest assests.
Focus, focus, focus
People at the top of their game both in the ocean and on land tend to have desperate, obsessive focus. In business this means committing 25 hours a day and throwing every fibre of your being into the project. In surfing focus means going out into the ocean every day, even when the conditions are onshore and messy and your wetsuit is freezing cold.
Learn from others
If you’re a competing surfer this means watching days of video playback from the competition. In business you it is incredibly helpful to model your strategies on successful people who have braved the road before you. Figuring out precisely what their strategy was and how it led to their success can be invaluable. Learning from the mistakes and failures of others is also a great way to speed up your growth either as a surfer or as a budding entrepreneur..
But it looks so easy
Above all, the Kelly Slaters and Richard Bransons of this world make success look easy. They have the frustrating ability of gliding serenely along the surface as if they’re not even trying. It’s important to realise that 99% of the time this is an illusion. Their performance only looks so effortless because of the sheer number of hours they have spent in gruelling training – dedicated to perfecting their craft.
Good timing
Good surfers know that catching the best waves is an art – it comes down to positioning and wave choice. It isn’t always easy to guess what the shape of the reef is and then position yourself just outside where the sets are breaking. You focus on the horizon trying to judge the lumpy swell from shadows and when you see one you paddle for the horizon as fast as you can. In start-ups the same logic applies, you need to understand the mechanisms which drive the industry, pay attention to the trends, and position your idea in the right niche at the right time. Then you paddle like hell to keep your start-up afloat until you can ride the wave into shore.
Research your strategy and commit to it
In the water you’re constantly taking calculated risks and it’s not possible to take every wave. If you tried you’d end up paddling in circles and catching nothing. Instead its better to spend time watching the rips, looking for the best takeoff zones and checking to see where the reef sucks dry. Then when you pick your wave, you go for it with everything you have. You paddle like your life depends on it. Hesitancy here can translate to losing skin on the reef below. Equally, in business it’s essential to take the time to research a detailed strategy and then be willing to commit to the idea with everything you have.
Embrace failure
If you paddle out into the ocean when insanely big sets are rolling in, you expect to take a pounding every once in a while. But it can be amazingly liberating knowing that you’ve taken the biggest pounding possible and yet you’re still alive. This inspires confidence because you no longer have anything to be afraid of. Likewise, the most innovative companies design systems which plan for failure not success. Life in a start-up is a constant process of failing, picking yourself up, reflecting on what you learnt from your mistakes, and then forging ahead in new directions.
“Don’t fear failure. Not failure, but low aim, is the crime. In great attempts it is glorious even to fail.”
Live in the moment
Surfing teaches you to be present. The first dive under the whitewash is invigoratingly painful. Not for a prescribed period of time, but as a friend once said, “for an eternity of moments”. You catch a reflection of the morning sun. It brings your focus to the present and reduces you to a state of inarticulate wonder. As Mickey Smith says it’s ‘where your heart beats the hardest’. In a start-up environment the perpetual streams of information and daily tasks make it extremely hard to achieve what Steve Jobs called ‘mindfullness’. One interesting study showed that multi-talking was actually more detrimental to productivity and IQ as smoking marijuana.
Find people who care as much as you do
To quote ‘Into the Wild’ ‘Happiness is only real when shared.’ Sure there’s nothing wrong with going solo, but driving 8 hours and scoring perfect waves is all the more incredible when you can share the joy with the people that mean the most to you. I can’t yet claim to know about success in business, but I would imagine it is all the sweeter if you can share it with people you care about and who have shared the highs and lows on the road to get there.
Do what you love
Do what you love with relentless passion and trust that your hard work will eventually pay off in the end. To close, I think there is a lot of truth in the old saying that the journey is more important than the destination.