Reflection Paper #3: YOUR PASSION
There is something about water, and nature in general, that calms me down and inspires me. Aside from its beauty, it's the fear and respect for things that we cannot control and predict, hence my love affair with Surfing. Before I started surfing, I would say I was a sheltered and jaded person. A good friend of mine introduced me to the sport after I asked her why her skin was so tan. She did not know how to swim but she was brave enough to be surfing for a year. At first, it was just my curiosity and natural tendency to try something new that intrigues me. After my first surfing lesson, I quickly found myself going with her and our friends to different places to surf almost every weekend. Soon, I was taking my brothers and also influenced them into taking up the sport. I was hooked to the "stoke" of being able to ride a wave after an agonizing hour of trying to get to the lineup and paddling for waves. No amount of cramps or lactic acid build up in my muscles could get in the way of getting at least one wave.
Surfing has taught me the value of preparation and hard work. People who are new to it would say that it is all about balance, but that is so far from the truth. For me, it is 70% paddling, 10% timing, 15% ocean / wave reading, and 5% balance. Surfing rewards you when you work hard for every wave, and put in "water-time" to build muscle memory and to improve your wave reading skills. In some spots, you have to paddle for 30minutes or more (depending on your fitness & surfing level) before you get to the line-up (this is the point in the ocean where the waves have not yet broken and where most of the surfers would wait for each set to come). If you are not mentally and physically prepared to paddle that long and fight through the breaking waves, you will not get there. Getting to the line-up is just the first part, working for a wave is another thing. You need to be able to read the wave if it will be able to carry you, and feel when you need to stand up. This is where timing comes in. Paddle too late or stand up too soon, you will miss the wave.
Aside from the possibility of drowning, you can get injured by your board, other surfers' boards, or the rocks and reefs at the beach. Knowing where and when to go out is also another thing. You need to be able to read the ocean, where the currents are, and to be observant of the other surfer's actions in the water. You need to learn the characteristics of the ocean or the spot where you are playing. Where the reef is, where the rocks are hidden, to which directions the currents will take you and where these currents are, among other things. If you do not learn this properly, you will end up wasting a lot of energy trying to get to the lineup when you should have been paddling somewhere else (where the current is, so it will carry you out to the sea), or worse, get carried off by the current and not be able to get back to the shore or hit a reef because you didn't know it was there.
It is this important factor that has brought me closer to people. I've always thought of myself as a person who cannot do team sports because I am too critical of myself and of others. I thought surfing was an "individual" sport but this is not the case. Surfing has taught me that it is important to talk to people and to rely on them, because it is impossible for you to know or learn everything on your own. If you do not talk to the locals or other surfers, you will not learn where the other surf spots are, you will not learn how the waves move in that spot or the characteristics of the beach. Talking with other surfers and the locals gives you invaluable information that will not only help you enjoy your time in that spot, but might also save your life.
There have been two times when I thought I was going to die while I was surfing. The most recent one was the second time I surfed in a spot in Anawangin (Zambales). The surf was very strong that day but I went ahead and thought to myself that I should at least try it. I had hesitated while I was paddling to get a wave so I wiped out and the waves kept pushing me down and I could not get back to the surface. I knew that I was already at the shallow reef part of the beach so my movement under the surf was limited because I could hit my head on rocks or coral. I have never felt so helpless in my life, but I had managed to fight it and to clear my head and focus on how I could get out of the situation. I realized at that moment that I was stronger than I thought I was, but at the same time, I also thought why I had not asked for help from other people. Had I made one wrong move, I would have been pushed further into the shallow reef, and I would have had peeled off a lot of flesh and skin, or worse, I could have drowned. I realized that I should have asked for help, and that I should not be ashamed to do so. Accepting that sometimes you cannot handle things on your own is something I also needed to learn.
Surfing and nature has taught me a lot of things that I can apply to my personal and professional life. It has taught me of self awareness and being aware of the conditions around you, and how you must react or adapt to them. When I was younger, I used to be a control freak and would become emotional when things got out of hand or did not go my way. I now accept that there are some things that we cannot control and that problems have a way of solving themselves as long as you do your part. It has also taught me to trust people and to know that help will come as long as you ask for it. I have learned the value of delegating some of my work to my subordinates because micromanagement will only get us so far. Of course, this had to be accompanied with lots of training, handing over of knowledge, trust, and patience.
It has taught me the value of perseverance and preparation. After I took up surfing, it is not easy now to dissuade me when things don't go my way. Failing to get a wave is okay because I know there will be another one to take. I also know that if I wanted to surf better, I have to invest on time to build my stamina and strength so my body will be equipped to handle the unpredictability of nature. The same goes for my role in the family business. I am taking up my MBA to better equip me in doing my job, not just for myself, but for my family and also our employees who rely on us for their livelihood. It has taught me the importance of being able to "roll with the punches" and to evolve in order to stay alive. In my first term I have been exposed to new concepts and ideas from my professors and classmates, which I am seriously considering for our business. The recent economic conditions all over the world has shifted our market from the large mass market retailers to smaller boutique stores and the strengthening of the local economy. I have realized that a change in business model could be the key in assuring the business' survival in today's uncertain times.
Surfing is probably the least likely of sports anyone would think to relate to good leadership because of the "surf culture" popularized by the media. To me, it is not just an outlet for enjoyment or a hobby because it opens me up to so appreciate so many things about life and the world. Even though I am not the best surfer around, I am certainly having fun and this is what I try to do with everything in my life. It has improved my self-awareness and helped build my character in dealing with life's uncertainties, traits which put me in the correct direction towards my leadership journey.
-- Erika Manrique
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