
The Range Of Unexpected Waves
I vividly remember stalling.
Carefully consider the question and possible life situations that could affect my answer.
Just over an hour into our podcast conversation, we had started a deep dive into Thinking In Waves. I am feeling a sense of shared curiosity and discovery.
Then the host asks me,
“Are Waves predictable?"
It's not like I had not thought about this before. I even wrote about it here a few months ago.
My thoughts are shuffling through different events that appear in life...
Through the range of Waves we don't expect.
After the pause, I respond,
“Yes and No."
-- -- -- --
In the conversation, here's how I was thinking about "Yes and No."
On the side of Yes, the Wave we are riding right now conveys information about the next Wave.
Leaning into our intuition, awareness, and curiosity of the current Wave expands our ability to adapt to what comes next.
In life, this prompts us to better Follow The Flow of the day, sustain momentum, and expand joy.
But, on the side of No, while acknowledging that every Wave has unique qualities to itself, I was clearly thinking about the unexpected Wave that merely pushes us a little off course.
In life, these show up as interruptions, running a few minutes late, rescheduled meetings, or a minor disagreement with a colleague.
Perhaps it was general optimism or the feeling of the moment in the conversation, but I avoided a truth about life - the unexpected Wave that reaches us with a powerful, disruptive, and chaotic force.
This kind of unexpected Wave:
Presses Pause
Changes the plan
Unsettles Life and
Brings Focus to what Truly Matters Most.
This unexpected Wave pushes us more than a little off course.
It resets the course...
And declares,
"A new and unplanned surf session begins now."
-- -- -- --
After the course-altering unexpected Wave reaches us,
And beyond a moment of pause and intake of our surroundings,
What remains is a unique and personal choice of response.
This is where leaning into the Yes of Wave predictability and the art and science of Thinking In Waves
As a daily practice
Shape the unique and personal response.
How we Follow The Flow on small unexpected Waves
Guides us how to Follow The Flow
When a big unexpected Wave arrives
And the new and unplanned surf session begins.
With gratitude, Joe
PS - The podcast from which today's essay originated was a wonderful conversation and one I'll be sharing for a long time to come. To watch, listen, and see the resource page that accompanies the conversation, simply go --> HERE.

Joe Jacobi
Olympic Gold Medalist, Performance Coach & Author
Follow Your Flow, Achieve Impacting Wins, & Ride Spectacular Life Waves
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