4 Ways How Wind Surfing Resemble Your Job

I very recently returned from a great holiday in Turkey - my son and I went primarily for the diving, but very quickly we were absorbed by the extraordinary windsurfers that literally sliced through the waves as they sped across the bay.Of course there is extensive learning that we can gain from the world of sports that would link to our performance in the workplace: how to get into the flow, training and preparation, determination, our mind set.....the list goes ever on, but what about the intricacies of any particular sport?Like when learning anything new there were plenty of falls (during the introductory class I for one spent more time in the water than on the board), and because of the relatively strong winds where we were staying it might not have been the easiest place to learn. But that provided learning in itself - each day as instructor yelled his wisdom at me from across the bay, I realised how much windsurfing resembled working life.

Here are just 4 ways how:

1) Look where you want to go.

At the start I was just happy to be holding the sail up, and move. But because there was no intention with where I wanted to go, I was simply blown downwind and just prior to finishing on the rocks I had to be collected by a speed boat. In anything we do we have to have a vision, we have to know where we want to go, and what our goal is. Where we look is where we will go. Each time I looked at my feet I fell in the water anew. When I fixed my gaze and held my vision with intention, the board followed. Always hold on to your vision.

2) Be decisive how you choose your direction.

I learnt the 2 basic ways to turn. The first is tacking where you step around the mast across the front of the board. Essentially you step around the sail. The other turn is jibing where you move the sail around you.If the mast represents the centre of operations, sometimes we need to be strategic, and to achieve our goal we need to work around ‘operations’. At other times it is better to remain at the centre and get ‘operations’ to work around us. It is just a question of choice, a negotiation. Whilst the final outcome might be the same, we must constantly work on our selves so that we enlarge our palette of choice. We have to be aware of our options, be aware of what we still have to learn, and then act with intention.

3) The more you force the more you will tire.

Whilst I am blessed to have a strong upper body (it must be all the djembe playing), with a sail of 4.5 metres I realized quickly that it was not possible to beat a wind of 18 knots! There is no point in going against the wind. We must always use what we have to advance towards our goals. Strength is not enough, and the more we force and push, the quicker we tire. There is more power in remaining nimble and agile. (And it’s much more fun!).

4) Be in balance. And counter balance.

On a board in the wind it is easy to feel when we are pulled off centre. To avoid falling in the water again, we have to constantly find that point of balance. But just how often do we actually take the time to notice ourselves off centre in the other parts of our life? The result of being continually off balance at work are potentially far more dangerous than with wind surfing. Because our entire health and well being is put at risk. So be aware. Drop down. Get rooted. Find your centre.So just a few ways to keep you and your clothes dry…..