Olympic Gold Medalist | Performance Coach | Author I write about what it means to perform with full engagement in the second half of life.
Thinking In Waves: Linker Of Waves
Linker Of WavesLet’s zoom in on the nuance of surfing waves and get a little more technical… We are moving along on our waves Working with the current conditions Things are going ok... Could be better but doing the best we can with what we have. Then, we notice a nice set of waves beside us. Maybe not right next to us but within our peripheral view. To better align with our goals for surfing and chosen destination, We think, "Let's surf those waves over THERE Rather than the ones HERE where we are." So just jump, right? Not so fast. The sea is full of “Jumpers,” People who abruptly abandoned where they were Believing they discovered the magic shortcut To get to the new destination More quickly. These mistaken Jumpers not only fail In transitioning more quickly But expend - and waste - more energy When they choose to jump. Expend and waste more than whom? The Linkers. Linkers of Waves Patiently and thoughtfully Transition from one wave to the next With more strategy, efficiency, and success Than Jumpers. Why? Because Linkers lean into Boyan’s Golden Rule of Surfing: Regardless of where you want to go, surf the wave you are on to the best of your ability. Here, we counterintuitively capture valuable Free Energy from our current wave That propels us onto adjoining waves With more acceleration, momentum, and opportunity That Jumpers give away When they jump from a similar wave. In the process of change, Less Jumping And More Linking Build Consistency in Transitions That lead to Invigorating Transformation. With gratitude, Joe PS - I have transferred this critical concept of Linking Waves on the surfski kayak not only to becoming a better surfer at sea but to more effectively Link Life Waves in my work, health, and relationships. But I have not always been a Linker... next week, stay tuned for a timely story about when I Jumped. Before moving on... Do you know someone who would enjoy a different perspective on navigating transition? Let's make that happen right now - please consider sharing today's essay with them! As always, new riders are always welcome to join us HERE. – Olympic Gold Medalist | Performance Coach | Transition Expert | Author Unlock Your Why, Achieve Impacting Wins, & Ride Better Life Waves |
Joe Jacobi
Olympic Gold Medalist | Performance Coach | Author I write about what it means to perform with full engagement in the second half of life.
How To Reclaim Our Energy In the past week, Three different times I have heard From three different acclaimed leaders Representing high level contributions to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states of human performance and well-being Emphasize and repeat The exact same phrase: Energy Follows Attention These super high level words are easy to Accept as obvious Push to the side Dismiss as non-critical Because Our plate is full: Work to do Problems to solve Meetings to attend...
Dropping Back In the process of surfing a wave, It can be so easy to Lock In, Dig deep, And convince ourselves That we either SURF THIS WAVE Or Everything will be lost. So we Grind Fight Persevere At any cost Because We are sure that This is THE WAVE. I love capturing the energy Of a great opportunity. But, doing so with a tight grip Rarely serves me well. The basis of Thinking In Waves Is built upon the Wave Surfing Progression That I learned and continue to develop under the guidance of...
How Effortless Can It Be? After focusing on elements of "preparation" for the past several weeks, 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...