133 Why Good Surfers Think Like Stoics, and How Stoic Philosophy Can Make You a Better Surfer
What if mastering the waves has less to do with technique, and more to do with ancient philosophy?
Whether you're paddling out for the first time or carving your hundredth wave, frustration, fear, and unpredictability are always part of the ride. In this episode, host Michael Frampton explores how stoic philosophy offers timeless wisdom that every surfer, beginner or seasoned, can use to improve not only their performance, but their overall surfing life.
Discover how living “in agreement with nature” is the foundation of both surfing and stoicism, and why resisting the ocean never works.
Learn how the four stoic virtues, courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom - naturally align with the traits of truly great surfers.
Understand how to shift your mindset from ego to awareness, helping you manage frustration, navigate lineup politics, and stay stoked even in challenging conditions.
Tap into the mindset of resilient, wise surfers by listening to this episode and learn how to ride the waves, and life - with stoic flow.
Transcript:
Why good surfers think like stoics and how stoic philosophy can make you a better surfer? I recently re-read The Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday.
It's a very famous book. , It's a short and modern summary of the ancient stoic philosophy stoicism and I realized just how stoic we are as surfers. Certainly good and experienced surfers, if you surf, you are already a student of stoicism. And if you're a good surfer, you're actually very stoic already.
And if you're completely new to surfing, I think stoic philosophy can really help you on your journey. So today I'm just gonna give a little bit of an overview of stoicism and how it relates to surfing. Now one of the core teachings of early stoicism is that a smooth flow of life comes from living in agreement with nature.
Surfing is a literal embodiment of this idea. You cannot fight the ocean. You must observe it and respect it, and learn to move in harmony with the ocean. Zeno, one of the original stoics who this teaching is attributed to didn't just mean nature in terms of mother nature and its literal sense. But he also meant it in terms of human nature, other people, society, and of course our own nature, which is very important I think, to to note these nuances.
In surfing. Obviously we want to live in agreement with Mother Nature, the ocean and the weather patterns, et cetera. And as a surfer, we need to read and predict these, adapt and utilize them. But nature as in human nature, other people are. Because other surfers are everywhere, so we've got lineup, politics, and ethics.
They're unavoidable, especially at your local break if you want to consistently go out and surf the same place amongst the same people, we have to get on with everyone and we have to learn the unspoken rules and ethics of surfing in general and also for that particular break. And of course, self knowledge, our own nature. Our own deep desires to surf. We need to live in agreement with that. 'cause if you try and deny that part of you, you live in fomo, fear of missing out, and you don't go surfing enough to satisfy that inner surfer.
And, uh, it can certainly encompass and take over one's mind. And of course, if you go the other way and you embrace that inner surfing desire too much, it can certainly lead to ruining other aspects of your life and your relationships. So we must have a balance.
We must learn to live in agreement with all three aspects of nature in order to be a good surfer. A smooth flow of life comes from living in agreement with nature. It's almost like a surfer came up with that principle. Stoicism at its heart is about focusing on what we can control and accepting what we can't. And furthermore, as surfers, we need to utilize what we can't control to adapt to and play with the ocean and the crowd. And if you want to be a good surfer, you cannot get away from that principle. , What can we control the surfers, .
We can control the way we move. Our bodies, we can control our minds. What we focus on our inner dialogue, and of course, we can control our equipment choices and where we surf. We cannot control the weather, the waves, the conditions, or other surfers. We must learn to accept those. We can, of course, learn to read the ocean better and understand surf culture and human psychology, but we've got to accept these things as they are and focus on what we can control.
The ancient stoics talked about four virtues, courage, temperance, justice, and wisdom. Surfing is dangerous, especially if you're gonna push yourself into bigger waves or surf rougher conditions or busier crowds. Courage is incredibly important. E courage isn't just about ignoring fear, it's about feeling the fear, acknowledging it, and moving forward logically.
Improving your surfing requires that you repeatedly step into danger and discomfort, not recklessly, but willingly, and over time, this builds a quiet, [00:05:00] grounded courage, the kind that the stoics admired the most. Temperance. Temperance is about self-control and moderation.
Now if you surf for long enough, you'll eventually call somewhere home. You'll become a local, and temperance is going to be really important 'cause other surfers and the ocean will punish anger and impatience and entitlement.
However, mother nature and the crowd will reward. Calm and measured decision making. This is stoic temperance in practice. Temperance and surfing is about choosing waves without being greedy. It's about controlling your emotions and behaving fairly.
It's about the way you conduct yourself, not only in the lineup and when you're surfing a wave. But also in the car park. If you show a lack of temperance and self-control or moderation, the ocean and the crowd will humble you. Now, this segues very easily into justice. Justice , is deeply embedded in surf culture, particularly with lineup politics, the ancient stoics associated justice with fairness, kindness and reverence, fairness and kindness.
They're obvious and every lineup has its informal judges and experienced surfers that will enforce the unspoken rules. Now, sometimes that enforcement can come through harsh words or passive aggressive drop-ins, but reverence, reverence is an interesting word. The stoics thought of reverence as a deep solemn respect for something greater than yourself, the ocean.
Surfing demands reverence for the ocean's power. It's chaos, it's cycles. If you choose the wrong wave or push beyond your capabilities, the consequences will arrive swiftly and the ocean will humble you. Without malice,
justice will be served.
So surfers certainly learn reverence through experience and acceptance. Wisdom. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. And in stoicism, it begins with understanding what you can and cannot control. Surfing teaches this lesson with brutal clarity. You cannot control the ocean or other surfers. What you can control is how you respond, and we respond with our board choice, the way we move the waves.
We choose your positioning in the lineup, your timing, your breathing. You're inner a dialogue, and of course self-awareness and awareness of your surroundings. The wise surfer is hyper aware of both themselves and their surroundings. The wise surfer chooses the right board for their ability and the conditions.
Good surfers exercise restraint when necessary. 'cause wisdom cannot be rushed. It comes from time in the water.
It's not just about learning how to face the ocean with courage, but learning how to roll with it, how to dance with mother nature, having grace not only in the way you surf, but in the way you conduct yourself in the lineup and even the car park.
And if we show courage and we maintain our temperance, our reverence, and accept the balance of justice, over time these traits can become instinctive and then we will become wise. Surfers. Now, the experienced surfer listening to this may just begin to realize how [00:09:00] stoic they already are, and maybe just how some of the philosophy that you've learned through your time as a surfer can be applied to other parts of your life.
And if you are new to surfing, I think stoicism offers a really cool framework to think about surfing and to help guide your journey.
, These simple principles can help you relax in the water, , manage frustration, trust in the process, and approach surfing with intelligence , rather than ego. 'cause as surfers, we remember those seven seconds on a wave, not the 90 minutes of paddling and duck diving and wipe outs and cold water and locals.
We stoically choose not to dwell on the sufferings and the challenges. Instead, we remain patient, resilient and optimistic, always ready for and seeking out the next opportunity to dance on a wave. And it is the stoke of those brief, yet seemingly perfect moments that keep us engaged and courageous despite everything we must endure to reach them.
Stoicism equals stoke. Now, if you're intrigued by stoicism, I recommend the book, the Obstacle is The Way by Ryan Holiday. It's a very concise and modern summary of ancient stoicism and meditations by Marcus Aurelius is the most quoted and popular original text. So thanks for tuning in and if you liked this episode, please share it with a friend.
And until next time, keep surfing.
The Surf Mastery Podcast:
For the passionate surfer - whether you're a weekend warrior, a surf dad, or an older surfer - this podcast is all about better surfing and deeper stoke. With expert surf coaching, surf training, and surfing tips, we’ll help you catch more waves, refine your paddling technique, and perfect your pop up on a surfboard. From surf workouts to handling wipeouts, chasing bigger waves, and mastering surf technique, we’re here to make sure you not only improve but truly enjoy surfing more - so you can get more out of every session and become a wiser surfer. Go from Beginner or intermediate Surfer to advanced