Inside the Mind of The World's Most Fearless Surfer
Rich Roll
Jul 7, 2025
Mindsip insights from this episode:
Accept nervousness as a normal response to pressure
When you feel nervous, acknowledge and accept the feeling as a normal response to a high-pressure situation rather than resisting it.
Recalibrate stress by embracing extreme exposure
Exposing yourself to more extreme situations, like sailing in 40-knot winds, makes previously stressful situations feel much more manageable in comparison.
Adjust your life balance dynamically for optimal well-being
Think of life balance as a set of knobs you are constantly dialing up and down, rather than a static state you must perfectly maintain.
Utilize float tanks to relax and visualize desired emotional states
A float tank can be used as a tool to first relax the body and mind, and then to practice visualizing the desired emotional state for an event.
Implement dynamic neuromuscular stabilization for effective training
A training regimen based on Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization (DNS) focuses on foundational human movements and can be highly effective without adding extra load.
Visualize emotional state for competition success
Instead of visualizing specific surfing maneuvers, visualize the relaxed and confident emotional state you want to feel leading up to a competition.
Commit to self-mastery for true success
True success is not achieving a specific goal like a world title, but the lifelong commitment to the process of self-mastery.
Execute one simple move to find flow in competition
When feeling overwhelmed by options during a competition, focus on executing one simple, foundational move, like a cutback, to get into a flow state.
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