Page 186 - Think Like a Champion

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THINK LIKE A CHAMPION
dictable by all, but rather to perfect your own adaptability
to an ever-changing situation and make it through to the
other end. If you can survive, great. If you have executed
it with style and grace, even better. In this quest, wipeouts
are a way of life and planning to never be wiped out is
foolhardy at best. World-class surfers train endlessly to be
able to handle the inevitable trip to the “dark room.” It in-
volves preparation, anticipation, calmness and an ability to
control one’s fear. It is knowing what to do when every-
thing goes wrong and you are gasping for breath. What
surfers call “dry drowning”—to panic, flail and waste your
valuable breath—is the worst thing you can do, even though
it is the most intuitive. Experienced surfers concentrate on
relaxing and not fighting the bone-crushing power of the
wave until it relinquishes its force. They must be able to
preserve their “dry powder”—to hold their breath and
avoid being smashed on the coral reefs beneath them. This
confidence comes from experience in previous wipeouts
and a knowledge that they are truly prepared for the worst.
Furthermore, one surfer’s wipeout is another surfer’s
“wave of the day.” It is all about anticipation and being in
the right position, which is not necessarily the position
that the rest of the surfers are seeking. Not following the
crowds can be the difference between victory and defeat.
At the same, time one must watch the crowd and where
it’s going as their amateur moves can cause more damage
than the wave alone.
The great surfers do not throw away their trained
“tool kit” to harness differing wave conditions. They adapt
to the circumstances which they are dealt. Their commit-
ment and dedication are steadfast. They will wait for their
spot and pay attention to everyone and everything around

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