In this blog we’re going to talk about the old cliche of process versus outcome and what to focus on. There are probably literally millions of articles discussing this on the internet. This concept, though overplayed is actually really applicable when it comes to progressing in your surfing.

So how does it relate to surf coaching?  First of all, what this means specifically is, when trying to learn new a skill in surfing, we try to get the student to practice with a complete disregard for the outcome. I.e. wiping out doesn’t matter, commitment to the process of learning the task does. A concern about the outcome will taint this commitment. Ultimate freedom and success comes from an unwavering commitment with a disregard for the outcome.

So, if you want to learn fast, here is the solution: We first learn roughly how to do what we are working on. Weight on the back foot, look where you want to go etc etc. But then we apply an approach: Fall. Fail hard, fast fast and fall a lot. Basically going into whatever it is you are working on with full commitment. As you probably don’t know how to do the skill its going to almost certainly result in a wipeout This flagrant disregard for the outcome sends us on a steep learning trajectory. Its what commitment is built on.

So many people, especially adult learners apply an outcome focussed style of learning. The theory being that they can analyse their way to a perfect outcome. Whilst this is often possible with cerebral tasks, its most certainly not with tasks of a more physical nature. Take learning to ride a bike. You can talk about, observe and analyse this skill all day if you want to, but eventually we have to get on the bicycle and risk almost certainly falling. Also the more willing you are to fall the quicker you learn.

Surfing from an outcome orientated approach means staying safe, going for the same old turns you’ve been doing for years because riding out of them gives you some bleak sense of accomplishment in the very short term at least. “Yeah! I didn’t fall’. Unfortunately this approach makes for a very static, flat learning curve, ultimately with this approach you’ll still be doing the same surfing a year, 2 years, 10 years from now.

See, there is process orientated effort and outcome orientated effort. Sure, I want to be a rockstar; to stand on stage in front of thousands at Woodstock. But I am definitely not willing to spend years practicing and lugging around instruments, playing gigs to empty concert halls. I would love the outcome, the stage, the crowd, the attention (outcome); I cannot stand the idea of doing the necessary grind to get there (process). Essentially I’m not willing to risk the almost certain failures.

So to put this in surfing terms: Lets imagine you want to learn how to do a cutback, and lets say you have never attempted one. Provided you’re at a place in your surfing where learning a cutback is the next logical step, by far the best and quickest route to learning this manoeuvre is to throw yourself into learning to turn well on the wave face without worrying about falling. The not falling part comes at the end once you’re successfully mastered the skill. Everything up until then is a process of failing and learning from the failure, regrouping and trying again.

The reason I write this is because time after time I see and work with surfers who display an aversion to falling. Like staying on the board is the metric of success. In a sense this is true if you’re trying to score a 10 in surf contest, but this is rarely the case, most of us are plugging away at getting better at our beloved (and frustrating) sport.

Hitting a plateau is very common in the sport of surfing and I feel that the topic discussed here is the primary reason why people hit a wall. So for those of you frustrated and feeling like the learning curve has flattened, go out and fall… Fall like you’ve never fallen before!! and see falling as a good result, not a bad one!  This will transform your surfing.