Waves are beautiful. I grew up in Finland with a long coastline and 200 000 lakes. I used to have purely positive connotations with the word “wave”. The word happens to be, if translated to English, my maiden name too. But nowadays, I associate waves largely with the pandemic that has introduced a major shock and change. I see adaptation to change also as a wave like movement, which we may learn to surf. But what does it take to surf the waves?
Surfing the Waves
When I imagine myself as an experienced surfer I see myself in the Atlantic Ocean by the Kommetjie beach, wearing my wetsuit, paddling with my board further away from the land towards the open sea. I have a strong, lean body and super focused, fearless mind. My senses are at full alert, I can smell the sea weed, hear the ocean and taste the salt. After paddling for a while, I see a great wave coming. I double check my left and right for other surfers and in their absence get ready to catch it at a right breaking moment. There it is…
I am standing firmly on my board, in the sync with the ocean, enjoying the ride. And as I eventually climb back to the rocky beach near the lighthouse I am thinking how thankful I am for another great surf.
Ana Costa has laid out seven attributes of a great surfer in Surfer Today. These attributes are:
- Technical excellence – training for performance
- Healthy lifestyle – physical fitness
- Resilience – focus and mental strengths
- Honesty – being true with yourself and others
- Humility – watching out one’s own ego
- Respect – looking after the ocean and other surfers, being grateful
- Ambition – wanting to reach higher goals
The above attributes of a great surfer are similar to the attributes that we need in adapting to change. I would argue that resilience – focus and mental strength are the key for overall performance in change.
Mental Fitness Behind Resilience
Shirzad Chamine introduces the concept of mental fitness that refers to three brain muscles in his book Positive Intelligence. These are as follows:
- Saboteur Interceptor
- Sage Power
- Self-command
Chamine’s factor analysis presents 10 saboteurs. We all have a Judge or Inner Critique. We tend to judge ourselves, others or circumstances. Depending on our previous life experiences, especially in childhood, we have different flavours in our negative thoughts – the accomplish saboteurs. Mentally fit person is able to intercept the self-sabotage that is triggered under stress, in flight or fight mode and hence minimise its negative effects. The fight or flight mode is linked to our brain stem, limbic system, part of our left brain.
Sage Powers
The sage powers are five as listed below. These powers may be strengthened by building mental muscle at the middle prefrontal cortex in the empathy circuitry in the right brain.
- empathise
- explore
- innovate
- navigate
- activate
The ability to self-command refers to the ability to change from saboteur mode to sage mode. To change ones thought patterns takes initially a very intensive practise over six to eight weeks but is well worth the effort. The impact of improving mental fitness may result e.g., in 31 % better team performance, 37 % increased sales, 10-year longer life, being three times more creative – generally happier life leading to further success.
While adapting to change and learning to surf the waves, could this be something for you to focus on?
20% Knowledge and 80% Practise
Should I actually want to learn surfing the starting point would be to take some lessons, acquiring knowledge. However, the knowledge alone would not make me a great surfer. To be a great surfer I would need to commit myself to consistent practise, training for performance, having a healthy lifestyle, being resilient and ambitious. Have the mental strength to get back on the board fail after fail and take note of the lessons learned.
Adaptation to shock and change is also a process. It takes time and fitness. This time may be shortened in a coaching partnership that includes mental fitness exercises beyond the knowledge and improved self-awareness. In changing habits or improving performance knowledge will help you up to 20%. The remaining 80% comes from actual practise.
What is your goal? How is your mental fitness?
I will be launching a two-month coaching program including Positive Intelligence (PQ) App enabled mental fitness exercises in May 2021. I work with leaders, professionals and organisations with adaptation to change, transitions and wellness. Subscribe to my mailing list through the contact form to be the first one to know about the new program.
Pauliina Mapatha has twenty years of experience in both the government and non-profit sectors and is a certified life coach. She established her own consultancy company in 2006 and has found her passion for supporting individuals and organisations with change, transformation and wellness.
To contact coach Pauliina click here.
