Catch what moves you
Many people search a lifetime to find their passion. Graham Guess, age 50 from Santa Barbara, CA, discovered his when he was 10 years old.
Back then, he would sneak out of his parents鈥� house, bike to the beach and practice standing on a surfboard. Forty years later, he鈥檚 surfed competitively, succeeded in a second career as a model and ridden the best waves on every continent.
鈥淚 knew early on that having the option to go surfing would always be important to me. It鈥檚 driven nearly every major life decision for four decades 鈥� from where I live to what I do to the relationships I chose.鈥�
Part of Graham鈥檚 intrigue with surfing is the challenge of controlling 鈥渕oving energy.鈥� Unlike sports with a court, track or other solid surface, riding a moving wave on an 8-foot board is never the same twice. If pressed to explain the experience, surfing might be like downhill skiing 鈥� in an avalanche 鈥� with no protective gear鈥� and sharks.
Beyond the athleticism, surfing is an identity and lifestyle. 鈥淭here are dues to pay,鈥� says Graham. Along with technical skills, a person needs to learn the etiquette and social rules of the community. 鈥淪urf spots are generally free, accessible to everyone, and don鈥檛 take reservations. It鈥檚 common to navigate a busy lineup containing a range of skill levels. Knowing when it鈥檚 your turn and how to handle yourself requires showing up, repetition and earning respect for your skill and commitment.鈥�
