How To Surf To Solopreneur Success - By: Sue Painter

If you want to get a sense of how you act in your business, go catch a wave! How you tackle surfing is a good indicator as to how you tackle bringing in new business.

I saw what a great lens a surfer's habits can be while I was watching a long line of surfer dudes at Ho'okipa Beach Park on Maui. Surfers have to be prepared if they want to successfully ride the waves. They have to have decent equipment (their board, and maybe a paddle). They have to be willing to get into the water and out past the breaks. And surfers have to get skilled. It takes practice to stand and stay up on a board. One has to learn the best places to surf. And when the wave gets the best of a surfer, she has to know how to recover and get back on the board.

But the most fascinating thing I saw at Ho'okipa Beach was how surfers approached catching a wave. Some repeatedly tried to ride, jumping up too fast and either not riding very far or losing balance early on. These surfers were "forcing it" - and they failed over and over again because they didn't have the patience to wait just a little bit longer for the wave to develop and break.

Another group paddled way out beyond the breaks and sat there, waiting and waiting for one big huge perfect wave to come carry them away. I saw them sit out in the ocean, beyond the wave action, doing absolutely nothing while their surfer buddies got in 2 or 3 really good rides. These surfers were waiting for perfection - not just any wave would do. They got very few rides in to shore.

The third group surfed over and over again, and they made it all the way into the shore every time. This group had a sense of flow and timing. They obviously knew when the energy was just right - not too soon, not too late, but right in the middle of the action. They had the timing down, and they applied their surfing skills expertly and confidently. Consequently, I saw this group get ride after ride. They had their skills and knew when to apply them, too.

I'd bet these surfers take much the same tack in business as they do in surfing. Some push too hard too fast. Some get so far out of their market that the waves are going to shore in front of them, while they wait for one huge special wave to come along and carry the day. And others consistently put themselves into play at the right time, with the right stuff. They do the business of surfing, and they'd do the same in their real business, too!

You may not be a surfer - I'm not, either. But I can picture myself out there, and I can get a sense of which group I'd be in. The first group is too anxious, the second group too cautious. The third group had it right - and that's the group I'd want to be in whether in the surf or in the marketplace. Notice what your own tendency would be, and you'll be able to surf your way to business success.

(c) Sue Painter

About the Author

Sue Painter helps solo professionals create financially successful businesses that are rich in passion and spirit. You can get her "Take Your Business the Right Direction" e-zine at http://www.confidentmarketer.com . Called a "marketing therapist" by her clients, Sue is expert at creating financially viable business models, marketing strategies that work, and finding those pesky personal blocks that keep you from success.

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