How Effortless Can It Be?

After a long-time focus on elements of "preparation,"

Let's return to the surfing technique that yields our ultimate benefit - Free Energy -

Which lives in Step Four of the Wave Surfing Progression: Surf the Wave.

Here, I turn to my amazing coach, Boyan, for a visual reflection of Free Energy's accessibility -

Four Minutes of surfing waves

Without a single push of forward propulsion from his paddle -

​Not only is this an incredible accomplishment within the surfski world but a beautiful demonstration of Free Energy that yields speed, grace, and fun.

Two important points about Boyan’s display of effortlessness:

1. This is not four minutes of "the perfect wave." In fact, these are just scores of masterful adjustments and links within the continuous Rise-Collapse-Rise Again nature of many waves.
2. Everything Boyan is doing to capture the maximum capacity of Free Energy follows and adheres to the entire spectrum of the Wave Surfing Progression that we discuss and double-click upon here in Thinking In Waves.

So, in transferring Boyan's magic at sea to the Waves we surf in Life,

Could our rides of

Learning

Change

Connection

Creativity

Adventure

Enjoyment

Be this Effortless?

A counterintuitive idea opens the possibility:

Resistance.

Riders in states intentional growth are

NOT missing the wave...

They are just mismanaging the wave.

The Free Energy acquired within the surf

Left unchecked

Sends the rider - very quickly - to the wave's trough

Where energy and momentum are compromised...

And ultimately lost.

Common culprits include rushing, impatience, distraction, and trying to keep up with the comparative standard.

However, wisely-applied Resistance:

Checks our speed

Holds a better position

Creates optionality.

Boyan may not take a single forward stroke for four minutes...

But his implementation of Resistance is

Clear

Strategic

and

Consistent, which

Anchors

Effortlessness.

This is

Equilibrium,

The opimitzation of positioning between two opposing forces.

The search for Equilibrium on the Wave is our work...

When we find it,

Effortlessness appears.

With gratitude, Joe

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