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Great
Surfers Who Never Were
Fatefs
manifestation is set in motion by what a person thinks,
how a person feels and the way one deals with a situation.
Surfing is about feeling, attitude and self-control.
Surfers donft create waves, they ride them. What a
surfer does on the wave determines the out come of the
ride - wipeout or triumph. Waves in themselves do not
cause wipeouts, surfers do.
Everyone is a surfer in one way or another even if they
have never seen the ocean. Occasionally we are faced
with waves seemingly too big to handle. When the tube
is exploding all around and the breaking waves sound
like cannons, itfs easy to hit the panic button. The
temptation to tense up and bail out in extreme situations
can be high. It can be just as difficult to face lifefs
challenges, as it is to surf a tidal wave.
Silvio Santos is a good example of a surfer who has
never surfed. As a child growing up in Brazil, he didn't
have much opportunity to get to the beach. His formative
surfing was done on the streets of Sao Paulo. Instead
of learning about the rhythm and flow from surfing ocean
waves, he learned it dodging cars. Timing so critical
in surfing was learned first hand. Homeless and poor,
Santos spent his time focusing on a way out, selling
pens and talking with everybody. Like a long and deep
tube ride that appears undoable, it appeared there would
be no way out for Santos.
While deep inside the cavern of a seething wave, itfs
best to stay calm and self controlled. Where there is
a will there is a way. Lo and behold, the wave of success
started to open up allowing Santos to emerge victoriously.
Through enduring faith, a positive attitude and incredible
determination, Santos went from within the dark shadows
of a breaking wave into the sunlight of success. Today
Santos is one of the wealthiest men in the entire world.
He owns SBT (Sistema Brasileiro de Televisao) as well
as many other profitable economic and public benefit
ventures. Santos was able to rise above poverty to wealth
the same way expert surfers navigate waves with single-minded
determination, focus, and by controlling their mental
state especially during adverse situations.
Real surfing teaches participants to be humble, there
is no doubt Santos knows the feeling of humility. If
Santos had become an ocean surfer he most assuredly
would have been one of the best. He may have entered
contests and became a top traveling professional or
devoted his talent to surfing the big ones of which
he would have surfed the biggest. Santos didnft crumble
in a pressure situation, he flourished like a champion...
like a champion surfer.
For Wilma Rudolph there would have been no wave too
big or too powerful for her to handle. Wilma experienced
wiping out ever since she came into the world. Born
prematurely, the majority of her childhood was spent
in bed. She suffered serious bouts of double pneumonia,
whooping cough, measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken
pox, and polio a crippling disease that had no cure
at the time. Her left leg was so bad she had to wear
a brace. Some people said she would never be able to
walk. They did not think like positive surfers who proclaim
never say never and never give up. Wilma Rudolph never
gave up in her struggle for health and wellness.
Out of struggle comes real strength and true confidence.
No one will ever know how much Rudolph struggled to
finally gain health but the whole world now knows how
strong she became. Wilma Rudolph became the first American
woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics,
breaking records along the way. She helped pave the
way for future female athletes(including women surfers)
to be undeniably recognized for athletic prowess, skill
and ability. Even though Rudolph may never have experienced
ocean wave riding she did experience the surfing mindset
and demonstrated it. Those who aspire to become great
surfers would be wise to heed her words, gHave confidence
in yourself.h she added, gTriumph canft be had with
out struggle.h It is said she is remembered most for
her extraordinary calm and grace no matter what was
going on around her. Sounds like a surfer. Wilma Rudolph
could have been one of the greatest surfers of all time;
man or woman.
Within every tube ride exists the unseen chaos of uncertainty.
In uncertain and challenging times, if things seem out
of control is it is important to remain in control of
yourself and keep a positive attitude. In essence life
is a flowing wave, how you surf it will determine your
destiny. Those who persevere in the face adversity by
remaining self- possessed will gain confidence, strength
and courage, increasing all chances of success. Aloha,
sea you in the surf.
The Willis Bros. are surfing experts recognized for
surfing the worlds largest waves and teaching thousands
in Hawaii and California to surf.
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