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Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Big Wave Surfer Nic Lamb on Training For Risk, Making Choices, The Ocean

Finding Mastery with Dr. Michael Gervais

Dr. Michael Gervais

Mindset, Finding Mastery, Business, Sport Psychology, Education, Health & Fitness, Michael Gervais, Psychology, Mental Health, Mindfulness, Self-improvement, Self Help

4.61.8K Ratings

🗓️ 14 December 2016

⏱️ 94 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Nic Lamb surfs very large waves. He’s a professional surfer on the Big Wave Tour, and was ranked number 4 in the world last year. A native to the Santa Cruz area in California, Nic is no stranger to a wave called Mavericks. It’s legendary for how heavy the conditions are. At 14 years old, Nic Lamb became one of the youngest surfers to ever charge Mavericks and was one of the youngest competitors in the event in 2014. He won the Mavericks contest in 2016 — you need to take a look at this wave (see below). I wanted to interview Nic to better understand the concept of thinking clearly in rugged environments. We all have real or perceived threats — we can learn from those who excel, on the world stage, in conditions that are very dangerous. More importantly I hope people take away a new way of thinking about risk — maybe a new– way to re-design risk-taking; it’s not about physical risk (which could be a mistake for those who didn’t tune in because they’re not sure how to learn from surfing) — the real risk is to have the clarity and conviction to stand for something that you love, that you believe in — and this conversation get’s into ways to train your mind, body and craft to excel when risk is required – (recovery, imagery, mindfulness) — and — this conversation is a solid a reminder to be in nature, and to progressively prepare and test yourself as often as you can. Nic is intense, thoughtful, and is charging toward his passions and goals. It’s a fun time to know Nic and watch him push his craft to limits, and the industry.

In This Episode:

• What’s it’s like to surf Mavericks

• Learning how to act from those who came before him • Why he loves and fears the ocean

• What happens when he’s trapped under a wave • What drives him to crave victory • Managing relationships with limited time

• Implementing a daily mindfulness practice

• The importance he places on strength, conditioning, and recovery

• Why preparation is key to risk taking

• Finding something to obsess over as a starting point for mastery

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Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

So these swells that we surf in these events these are waves you know 40 to 60 to 80 foot tall

0:07.5

So that's like an innate story building right and the larger they are like that the quicker they move they look like they're breaking slow but man they are quick as quick can be and

0:18.0

Actually had a piece of technology on my board on this one session. It was like 20 foot and it clocked me at like 35 miles an hour.

0:26.2

So essentially we're going upwards, you know, 45 miles an hour.

0:29.4

So these waves again, they're moving that quick so you have to you're not matching 45 miles an hour but they are moving very fast so you only have so much time right to make the decision am I going to to go? Am I not going to go?

0:42.5

It's really quick.

0:44.6

And, you know, since I've surfed a few waves in my career,

0:48.3

there are times when, you know, that moment passes you up and you're,

0:51.8

oh, but luckily there's always another wave, so trying to learn from that.

0:57.0

But yeah, it can be scary. Like I said, like I fear the ocean. I love it to death, but but I also fear because I've seen what it can do and I've seen

1:07.1

the waves that it can create out in the water and for anyone who hasn't seen any one of

1:11.6

these large waves just just Google some of this stuff and it's just raw energy.

1:17.0

It's so incredible to see you'll be like, wow, I can't believe that stuff happens on planet Earth. Right.

1:24.0

Right.

1:25.0

Right. Right.

1:28.0

Welcome back or welcome to the Finding Mastery Podcast. I'm Michael Jervais.

1:35.0

And the idea behind these conversations is to learn.

1:38.0

To learn from those who are on the frontier, for those not so that will be better in a selfish, self-absorbed way, but so that we can pursue our passions,

1:58.3

demonstrate that way of living, and then look to be able to help others along the way in their journey.

2:04.0

Finding Mastery is brought to you by natural stacks. Your brain is one of the hungriest organs

2:09.5

in your body. It's been found to consume roughly around 20% of your energy every day.

2:15.0

That means an important factor between the days you feel sluggish and the days that you feel sharp

...

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