🏄Fear To Purpose: unlocking your potential with Mindset Training Toolkit from Big Wave Surfer Matt Bromley.

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Hello and welcome back to Change Wired Podcast.
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My name is Angela Shorina.
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I'm your host and your health mindset executive life coach through 60, someone who is absolutely dedicated to learning more about, unlocking, figuring out how to use more of our potential and live life with purpose.
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And that is why I've been super excited and been looking forward to share this podcast for a while now.
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My guest today chases storms for living.
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And I don't say that often, not metaphorically, quite literally.
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He tracks his weather systems where big waves are forming.
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And then he gets on a plane, often landing the night before, and pedals out to serve them.
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Three, four, even seven stories high kind of waves.
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My guest's name is Matt Bromley.
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Someone who is from South Africa, where I've been reciting for the past three years of my life.
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Someone who is a kind of a surfer who can be only compared to a multiple Olympic champion if that kind of sport was in Olympics.
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Matt is someone who has spent almost 20 years training his mind and body for moments most of us will never choose to come close to.
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And here is why I wanted Matt on this show.
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This episode isn't really about surfing at all.
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It's an episode about fear and everything that's on the other side of it, which actually quite a lot might be the most meaningful things.
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When I heard Matt speaking at one of the entrepreneurial events in Cape Town, I heard this phrase our big moments of purpose lie on the other side of our fears.
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And when I heard this, I instantly wanted to lean in and learn more.
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And most importantly, I wanted to understand how Matt manages his mind.
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So he leans into that fear a lot more than regular people.
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So he gets to live his most meaningful and purposeful life.
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We get into how Matt uh prepares for his big-wave surfing events, and we focus a lot not just on physical training, though there is plenty of that and it's important, but his mindset training that captivated me.
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How Matt visualizes what he calls his hero moments before every big surf.
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How he learned to catch his stories that his own mind tells him under pressure, that are not only the stories that are helpful to do his best in life-threatening situations.
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Matt talks about how he learned to rewrite them in real time and how he learned to move from anxiety into excitement, which it turns out are almost the same feeling in the body.
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And the difference is entirely in the story we choose to believe, we choose to tell ourselves.
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How Matt's stepping into a completely new kind of big wave, uh coaching teenage boys on imposter syndrome and all kinds of diseases, quote unquote, of the mind.
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Which makes him, as he honestly admitted, just as nervous, if not more, as some of the big waves he serves.
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If you ever stood on the edge of something that scared you, a decision, a conversation, a version of your life you haven't quite stepped into yet, I think you're going to see yourself in this conversation.
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Even if you've never seen a wave bigger than what breaks on your local beach, and most importantly, you're gonna learn how to train your mind, how to train your internal dialogue, your mindset, which then conditions your body and everything that you're gonna do, so that you step in into more moments of your fear.
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So then you get to live the most purposeful, extraordinary, unlocking the most of your potential kind of life.
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So let's get into it.
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Here is my conversation with Matt Bromley.
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Matt, uh, welcome to Change Word Podcast.
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So excited to have you here.
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Thank you so much.
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I'm really excited to be here too.
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Minnie, let's start with a little bit of backstory because probably not everyone on this podcast knows who Matt Bromley is.
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Could you tell our listeners?
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Uh yeah.
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So who are you?
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Uh what do you do in the world?
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How did it all start it?
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So I'm a proud father and husband.
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I have two kids, a three-year-old and a five-year-old.
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I live in Komiki, which is about 45 minutes south of Cape Town.
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And yeah, I'm a professional big wave surfer.
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So I track storms that are going forming around the world.
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And when it looks like they're going to produce really big waves, then I fly over and I often land the evening before.
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And then I have a media team with me, and we document these big swells.
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We surf these big waves and create movies and uh media.
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And yeah, I'm also now in the speaking game, so I do quite a bit of public speaking, and I'm also entering the coaching space as well.
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At the moment, I'm I work with teen teen boys, and yeah, that's a little bit about me.
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Well, I don't know what not often do I get to talk to someone whose profession is big wave surfer, right?
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It's quite a quite a title, probably not so many people in the world doing that.
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But how did it come to be?
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Uh like when did it start?
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How long have you been doing that?
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Well, great.
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I grew up in Komiki, which is a really great kind of place to be to get into surfing and also into big wave surfing.
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Like I I was in a house on the beach, and right about a kilometer out to sea, there's a there's a big wave called sunset, which gets up to the waves get about three, four stories high out there.
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They get they get huge.
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And from when I was very young, I could see those big waves breaking out there and people surfing it.
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And but at the time growing up in at school, I thought I would never do that.
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It just looked really cool, but it was almost like the vision was paved there before me.
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And my dad, he's been surfing now for 62 years.
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So he started when he was 10.
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And he would drag me out to to surf some of the slightly like I would say the medium-sized waves.
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And from a young age, I was I really enjoyed pushing myself in in those bigger waves, and yeah, so little lots of little stepping stones, getting into it early and working my way up, and suddenly I find myself out at dungeons, which is the really big wave we have off Hot Bay.
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It delivers some of the biggest waves in the world.
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And I had my first session out there when I was 17 years old and had a very bad experience.
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I got I got five huge waves crashing on my head that I felt like I was close to drowning, and I actually was going to get out of the water, get back on the boat, and have nothing more to do with big wave surfing.
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And while I was paddling to get out of the water, I caught the the biggest wave of my life at that time.
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And it was such an incredible ride for me, an experience, and that kind of opened up the whole door for me of big wave surfing.
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And from that moment onward, really, I started to train and prepare mentally and physically uh for big waves.
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And when I mean big waves, it's I'm chasing these waves that are three stories up to seven stories high.
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That's so hard to imagine, even.
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Yeah, it is it is hard to imagine.
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It's like a moving mountain of water, yeah.
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And we're trying to catch these things.
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And was it the moment the uh you know when you were 17 years old?
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Like what when was that moment that you realized, you know, this is the thing that I'm doing it that I'm doing for life?
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Like, how did that happen?
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How did that, I don't know, feel?
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Because so many people, the reason I'm asking also, so many people are looking for you know, these days for purpose, for meaning, for like their thing, and they're not sure often how to approach that, and how do you know if that's like the thing?
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How did it happen for you?
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Yeah, I mean, it's for me, it was it it took a quite a radical experience, I think, as I as I mentioned, like I felt like I was gonna drown, you know, and and then suddenly I had that incredible ride.
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I I I strongly believe that we all created for a purpose, and a lot of people have differing differing beliefs on that, but I think I would have found my way to it eventually if it wasn't even for that one session.
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But yeah, it's uh even when I grew up, I was I was surfing smaller waves and competitions, it was all you're getting judged on tricks and things, and I enjoyed the surfing, but I felt like my passion wasn't really coming alive, and so I carried on searching, and then I think I really found it in in big wave surfing.
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And yeah, I think a lot of us like our our passion, it's it's it's powerful within us, and I think a lot of the time maybe we're scared to take those steps towards finding our passion, but I think a lot of us know what it might be, but maybe there's things that are holding us back from moving into that space.
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And I understand like people want security, they want the comfort of a I don't maybe even it's like a well-paying job, you know, or consistency.
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But yeah, I think a lot of us know where maybe our purpose lies, but sometimes we're scared to maybe answer the questions of how do we get there, or what is it, what does that life look like living in that purpose?
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And you talk a lot about you know, fear, and you have this quote also that I love our big moments of purpose lie on the other side of our fears, right?
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Can you speak more about that?
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I guess what I'm trying to also maybe talk more about is that sometimes people think like, well, if that's my thing, I would just feel like doing that all the time, you know.
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It's just gonna be this joyful experience.
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Um can you talk to that?
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Yeah, why you uh why you speak so much about fear and this like notion that no, actually your purpose might be the very the most scary, the scariest thing that you get to do.
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Sure.
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Yeah.
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Well, I mean, a good example of that is people ask me, what is what's your favorite wave to surf?
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And I always say, my favorite is this wave called Jaws in Hawaii.
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And it's I don't have fun when I'm there, but it's the place that I fear the most, but also the place I've had the most fulfilling moments, most purposeful moments of my life.
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The waves are huge and scary, but at the same time, with that, I've found this incredible sense of purpose out there riding those big waves.
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And I think that we're called to live a life that's really big.
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And in order to step into that life, we have to stretch ourselves.
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And as you mentioned, it's not gonna just be like, oh, I feel like doing this, it's gonna be fun and I'm gonna enjoy it.
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You know, it's not, I don't, it's really not like that.
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I found time and time again, I have to stretch myself, I have to encounter fear, and I've been surfing big waves for almost 20 years, and I still get really scared every time there's there's big waves coming, and I have to face fear, I have to grapple with it, I have to try and move through the anxiety.
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Like one of the things I talk about, moving from anxiety into excitement, and I really have to grapple with it, and then once I get to the other side of that, that's when I've had my biggest moments of breakthrough, caught my that big wave that I wanted.
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But in surfing, but also in other parts of my life, I found time and time again I've had to really, really face fear and move through it.
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And then on the other side, I found my best moments and my big moments of purpose.
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So it doesn't, I don't think it just falls into place naturally.
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I think it takes a lot of effort, being intentional, but also definitely leaving our comfort zone and going into a new space, which is which is scary.
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Yeah, well, you know, it is scary, and and for you, it's also very very much life-threatening, like literally, right?
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You can die there, and yet you uh overcome this, you know, fear over and over and over again, and you get back there.
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I think like what I'm curious about when how did you like the first time, and maybe you remember that, maybe not, but you were faced with this fear, right?
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Why, how did you decide to get to that aside?
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And also like the follow-up question like, why do you think so many people stuck on this side get stuck, right?
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On the wrong side of it, yeah.
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Yes, exactly.
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Yeah, well, I I'm I'm a very unlikely candidate for being a big wave surfer because even from a young age, I was always nervous of things and scared to try new things and shy with people, and I'm still very conservative by nature, so I I think I I didn't counter fear quite a lot being young because I was when I was younger, because I was just scared of a lot of things, but I started to see that as I I think there was a mix of being like fearful, but also a drive to achieve my full potential.
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I really I'm I'm very like disciplined and driven to really achieve my full potential.
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So that there were those two things at play in my life, and yeah, I was often feeling fear, and then I would most of the time I would actually let the fear get the better of me and I would shy away from situations.
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But then I think that experience with that I had at dungeons when I was 17 was a really big breakthrough moment for me, where that was the first time I felt real fear when I saw that 30-foot wall of water towering over me, about to crash on my head.
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And at the time I had no tools to deal with it.
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My adrenaline went through the roof and I was petrified, you know.
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Uh, that was the first time I really felt that deep fear, but then moving through that and then catching that that big wave, I found when I chose to face my fear, my purpose came alive.
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And that was, I think, a big moment for me.
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That it's not this this living a life of purpose is not gonna come easy.
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And that was a big shift for me.
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I think that fear is gonna be a part of the process over and over again.
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It's just you never people talk about overcoming fear, but I don't think you really do.
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I think it's always gonna be something knocking on the door, and yeah, we we've got to be prepared to to kind of keep moving forward, even though the fear is still there.
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Yeah, and you know, speaking of the process and the tools, in your talks, the Titan did one of them, you speak a lot about you know, strategies that you learn, that you that you follow, that you use to overcome that fear, to lean into that and to get on the other side of it, right?
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Can you share with people some of those strategies or maybe your whole process on that?
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Okay, how do you deal with fear these days?
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So it doesn't stop you and it doesn't sort of shrink your or worsen your performance, but instead like enhances you and maybe opens up the opportunity to uh to to to fulfill your purpose and do your best.
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Yeah, I mean, I think I'll I'll share two things that really help.
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The first one is visualization, and I I use a lot of visualization, and I kind of feel like the visualization takes me to the other side of my fear, and I think for a lot of us, we we focus on the size of the challenge, the size of the storm, the fear around it, the obstacles.
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I try to visualize what could be on the other side of that.
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So the reward, the opportunity, the big wave, whatever that looks like.
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And I I put myself there, I feel all the senses.
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I I if if for instance I'm going to this wave called Jaws, I will I will visualize my whole routine waking up in the morning and going down to the wave and the warmth in the air and the the ocean and the saltiness in the air and like the everything that's going on, I'll try to bring my senses into it, visualize every detail, and and I'll then I'll visualize my dream wave that I'm paddling into and I and I catch that wave and I'll visualize that dream wave over and over again.
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And that really helps me to kind of to get excited instead of thinking of that storm and just wanting to avoid it.
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Because my natural tendency when I think of a storm, I want to stay away from it.
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So my visualization really takes me to the exciting part of it, to the opportunity that's in it.
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And yeah, that that for me has been very helpful.
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So I call that visualizing my hero moment.
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And I think we would all kind of have some sort of hero moment that we can visualize in whatever we're doing.
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And then, yeah, the the other thing that I do is I really try to be aware of the the stories that I'm telling myself in my head and my internal dialogue.
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And I think so many of us are very unaware of the thoughts in our minds, and our thoughts are really the start that are that drives our emotion, and then our emotion drives our behavior and our decision making and our actions, and all the stories in our minds are so if they're so influenced by our upbringing, an experience we had last week, our siblings, parents, friends, where we live, what we believe, everything plays a part in shaping the stories then that we tell ourselves about challenges that we're facing.
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And I think if we're unaware of the stories we're telling ourselves, those stories might be totally wrong.
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And a lot of the time, the stories we're telling ourselves about situations are actually not true, and maybe, and it's often the worst case scenario that could happen.
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Uh, humans are are naturally very biased to uh, I mean, our instinct is trying to keep us alive.
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So any kind of threat really gets emphasized, and that becomes the focus, right?
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Because our body wants to keep us safe, our mind wants to keep us safe, but the chances are a lot of the time those stories are not gonna happen.
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So being aware of the stories in my mind and trying to reframe that story into a positive story.
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So for instance, it might look like I might be telling myself, I can't do this, the waves are gonna be too big for me, I shouldn't be here, and then I have to reframe that and I'll say, I actually I was born for this and I've trained for this, and I'm ready for these big waves that are coming.
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So every thought that comes in, I'll try by being aware of it, I can catch it, and then I can reframe it into a positive thought.
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And I'm really trying to move from a state that of anxiety, which is my normal place where I live in the face of a challenge and move into excitement.
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And I found that excitement is for me, it's the best mood, the best emotion for performance.
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So I try and build excitement before a big challenge.
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Yes, and excitement, and I guess what I'm hearing also approach, not avoid kind of emotion.
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And I often find myself like in a matter of seconds, if I decide to like take action and decide I'm excited, I'm getting into that, my mind immediately starts like creating solutions and ideas about how to best approach it, right?
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Let's say public speaking, okay, how can I engage the audience?
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Like, where should I look?
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Like understand.
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Whereas when I'm sort of doubting and anxiety and thinking about what can go wrong, my mind is like, okay, how can I get back to safety as fast as possible, right?
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Which is not really helpful.
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And we want to just avoid that whole situation entirely when we think like that, right?
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Yeah, I guess what I'm what I'm trying to say is like the mind, it's it's gonna be on your team depending on what sort of you choose to focus on.
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Like let's say I'm deciding I'm in goal mode and it's time to take action.
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So the mind will figure out the best way to prepare you for that.
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And if you're still choosing, sort of or living an option of not doing that, that's where the mind, okay, let's stay in the comfort zone, let's save the energy, let's save our, I don't know, well being resources, and comfort.
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But um Just on that, on that topic, like I I used to think that I would naturally, my mind would naturally try and prepare me for scary situations or for big challenges.
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But I found that my mind is actually not preparing me, but it's trying to keep me away from storms and challenges, which are often the very things that we need in our lives to grow.
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So even though I was, I used to approach a storm and I would hope that my mind, I wouldn't take note of what's going on in my mind.
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I would think that I would my mind would naturally be working to get me ready for it.
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But I found even by not actively building a mindset, I was still building a mindset, but it was just a negative one because I still had thoughts and stories about what I was going into, and there was a mindset being built, which was which was not good for me.
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So by actively choosing the thoughts in my mind, and I'm actively building a mindset that gets me ready for it.
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So that was a quite a big shift for me to actively build instead of passively let things just happen.
00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:25.680
You know, I guess what I'm hearing is you become, you know, you became really aware of a that the stories that you have in your head, they're not you, they're like, you know, just stories that come up for whichever reason, as you mentioned, you know, because of your life experience or somebody told you something, etc.
00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:30.880
And they just it's but but it's not like the whole you and the essence of you.
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:36.799
And then the second thing I'm hearing is you realize at some point, hey, there is a choice.
00:23:37.119 --> 00:23:44.000
What stories do I focus on, what stories do I keep, what stories do I allow to sort of linger?
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:46.000
And sure, yeah.
00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:53.119
The choices and those stories also they build neural pathways in our head, in our minds.
00:23:53.200 --> 00:24:02.480
So we we whatever stories we are running through our head over and over again, that's the that's the the highway that's built up in our in our brain.
00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:18.559
So that can also, if we have a lot of negative self-talk or or or an out negative outlook on facing challenges, there there would be a lot of work that needs to be done in our minds to try and build new neural pathways towards like a positive outlook.
00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:22.160
Yeah, I always, you know, it helps me to visualize those things as well.
00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:30.000
Like when I think of any thought pattern that I don't want to have in my mind, I always think about it like sort of a muscle that you build.
00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:33.519
And if it's if you flex it all the time, it's gonna get stronger.
00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:37.759
And if you don't do anything with that, it's gonna get weaker and weaker and weaker.
00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:45.119
And yeah, whenever I'm trying to change anything in my mind that I don't like that doesn't serve me, I'm always like, imagine, okay, this is my workout.
00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:48.480
Which one, you know, which muscle do I want to flex?
00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.279
Yeah.
00:24:49.759 --> 00:24:51.119
That's a good way to think about it.
00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:51.920
Yeah.
00:24:53.119 --> 00:25:12.720
The you know, the one other thing that I'm curious about, because I read a lot about that, is using negative visualization to prepare yourself for you know challenging moments or when things go wrong, or you know, when things uh don't sort of the outcomes are not the best you hoped for.
00:25:12.880 --> 00:25:16.319
Like, do you do any sort of that kind of visualization?
00:25:16.559 --> 00:25:30.400
Meaning going through the moments, well, I don't know, things go wrong and how you deal with that if that happens, which they say helps to sort of deal with stress because then you're ready for anything.
00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:38.400
So I I I visualize all the bad stuff long before the event.
00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:51.279
So while I'm training, I'm I while I'm saying if I'm in the swimming pool and I'm training for being held under the water, I visualize that whole experience of being held under by a big wave.
00:25:51.359 --> 00:26:00.640
And it's really not a nice place to be, you know, feels like you're in a washing machine and your your limbs feel like they're gonna get ripped off, and it's it's not a nice place to be.
00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:06.400
So I do I visualize that in my training and I take myself to those places that I don't want to be.
00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:23.359
But then once I see the storm or the event approaching, I will try to only visualize my hero moment because for I don't know if this this might just be a personal thing, but I need as much confidence and positivity that I can get.
00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:31.039
And as soon as I visualize bad stuff happening, worst case scenario, that is not good for me.
00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:43.200
So as long as I'm prepared for the the things that can go wrong, and that preparation has to take place long before, yeah, I'm prepared for it, but then I want to be in the most confident space I can be in.
00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:46.000
So I only visualize my hero moment leading up to it.
00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:49.039
Yeah, but but good, you know, I think it's good to talk about that.
00:26:49.119 --> 00:27:03.759
And I think we don't talk enough about those also visualizing and preparing for negative moments, which I believe actually one of the biggest parts of being able to then uh do our best and approach those challenging situations.
00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:22.799
Like I remember uh listening to something about, I think his name is Michael Phelps, who's like a swimming Olympic champion, and that he visualized every and trained for every single thing that can go wrong, like water getting under his glasses or like something else.
00:27:22.880 --> 00:27:30.480
And actually, at the one of the events, water did get into his glasses and he had to like deal with that and he still won the medal, right?
00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:48.079
And and from my personal experience also, whenever I'm about to like do public speaking or something, if I know that I can still do the thing without my slides when microphone is off and uh and that actually did happen, my clicker not working, etc.
00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:52.240
When I know that I still can do that, like that's where I'm in my flow.
00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:57.200
I'm like, whatever, you know, whatever I'll survive this thing.
00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.000
Sure.
00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:06.559
No, I think that's great to I think it's great to prepare for those, but again, I would say those that needs to be covered long in advance.
00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:30.079
Yeah, because I feel like I I feel like we all humans are kind of tending towards that we got we have self-critics and negativity bias, and I feel like in in in the at least in the days leading up to whatever we're going to be doing, that building a positive mindset is I found has been very, very important.
00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:31.359
Yeah, but sure.
00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:35.440
Be prepared for the worst, 100%, but do it long in advance.
00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:58.960
Well, but being prepared, by the way, can you also maybe tell us tell the listeners about your preparation, not just the visualization, but you probably do a lot in terms of, and I remember in your talk you mentioned some some of it, do a lot in terms of like physical preparation and you know learning how to control your biology, so you could again show up as your best on that wave.
00:28:59.039 --> 00:29:00.880
Like, can you can you speak more towards that?
00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:06.720
So people also like it's not like you you know decided to jump on a wave and it all worked out from there.
00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:16.960
Yeah, so I kind of have these non-negotiables of preparation, which is my physical training and my breath work.
00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:32.160
So, for instance, on that part, I would say things like some of the things I do, I'll get in the swimming pool, I'll get my I do sprints swimming to get my heart racing to mimic the adrenaline that I have in the big wave environment.
00:29:32.319 --> 00:29:36.880
And then I'll swim under the water for the length of a long hold down.
00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:40.079
So, how long that wave might hold me down at the longest.
00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:44.960
And while I'm swimming under the water, I visualize being pushed down into the darkness.
00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:54.960
I take myself through all the uncomfortable feelings of really needing to breathe, my chest burning, my heart racing, but I can't breathe until the wave lets me up.
00:29:55.119 --> 00:30:00.240
I take myself to those places over and over again so that when it happens in real life, I don't panic.
00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:04.720
So, yeah, breath work, physical training, that's one part of it.
00:30:04.880 --> 00:30:08.640
My making sure all my equipment is, I can trust it.
00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:15.279
Like my my I work with my surfboard shapers, and we've got an inflation vest uh when we surf big waves.
00:30:15.359 --> 00:30:24.079
So I can pull a cartridge and sorry, I pull a tag and it punctures a cartridge of compressed air and it will inflate around my body with air.
00:30:24.400 --> 00:30:26.720
Making sure all my equipment is ready.
00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:33.599
Some of the things in my mind that I talked about, visualization, self-talk, those are very important.
00:30:33.839 --> 00:30:38.400
And then also some of the things I do is I analyze the storms that are coming.
00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:58.480
So even a storm would seem like something that's so unpredictable, but there are patterns, and I compare the storms that I'm seeing to past storms, and I look at the numbers, I look at the energy, the swell heights, the direction of the swell, the wind, the tides, the dangers at each place that I'm going to.
00:30:58.720 --> 00:31:05.039
I even know, for instance, when I surf out of dungeons, it's just out my window here.
00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:11.519
Um, I know exactly which part of the hill and which bush on the mountain I'm going to line up with.
00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:15.039
That tells me how far left and right I am while I'm out there in the ocean.
00:31:15.200 --> 00:31:23.440
And I look sideways and I line up the slope of the hill and the other mountains behind it at Fishok, and I know exactly how far out to sea I am.
00:31:23.680 --> 00:31:32.799
So I'm I really try to build this whole foundation of readiness that I try, I ask myself, am I storm ready or am I not?
00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:37.680
And yeah, I try to have all these non-negotiables in place before I go into that storm.
00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:52.480
Yeah, I guess you know, it's also very important to learn about that because in different pursuits with a lot of unknowns and a lot of uncertainties, sometimes it feels or looks like from the outside that it's just, you know, you're sort of hoping for luck.
00:31:52.720 --> 00:32:02.000
But actually, yes, luck is always, you know, a factor, but also a lot of preparation and thinking and analysis goes into that.
00:32:02.160 --> 00:32:08.079
So you actually succeed more often than not, and you know get get out of it alive.
00:32:08.880 --> 00:32:10.240
Yeah, yeah, 100%.
00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:14.799
And and when we're prepared, our minds work so much better.
00:32:14.880 --> 00:32:17.039
You know, we have that underlying confidence.
00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:19.920
We almost feel like we deserve to succeed.
00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:28.079
If sometimes when we're not prepared, we just honestly feel like we don't deserve it, you know, and that can be so undercutting as what's our performance.
00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:34.319
So I really feel like all of the preparation is really to get my mind in the right place to go and perform.
00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:58.079
Yeah, it kind of you know reminds me, although obviously uh very different, when I rollerblade, when I finally like learned all the you know techniques and tricks, etc., that's where I finally could let go and my mind also could focus on the moment and addressing like the small issues that come up versus thinking about like how do I, I don't know, put my foot or how do I break, how do I not fall here, right?
00:32:58.160 --> 00:33:15.200
And I feel like in a lot of uncertain situations in life, it's like once you have mastery of those basics and you know where you are, you know your sort of terrain and everything, that's where your brain can actually now get into the situation and analyze things as they come up.
00:33:15.599 --> 00:33:16.480
Sure, yeah.
00:33:16.720 --> 00:33:19.279
And I think that that is a very important point.
00:33:19.359 --> 00:33:22.400
Like all of the other stuff becomes maybe second nature.
00:33:22.640 --> 00:33:27.119
You can even enjoy the moment a lot more, you can you can absorb all the things going on.
00:33:27.279 --> 00:33:33.359
And then also when things go wrong, you can you can remain calm and you can make good decisions, right?
00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:36.960
You can adapt and change as you need because you you prepared.
00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:41.599
And yeah, I've always felt like the more prepared I am, the more grit I have.
00:33:41.920 --> 00:33:45.599
So I have so much more resilience as well when I'm when things go wrong.
00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:50.799
If I'm prepared, that really helps a lot to be able to bounce back quicker as well.
00:33:51.039 --> 00:34:03.200
Yeah, I guess you know, as they say, also if you want to feel less fear in any situation, you want to just run through it, prepare and go through the experience as much as possible.
00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:17.440
So then that like whole experience becomes more of like, as you said, second nature and something that uh where you can feel almost like you're doing something out of habit, not just reacting on the on the spot.
00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:18.800
Yeah, for sure.
00:34:18.960 --> 00:34:30.079
Yeah, you know, Matt, like besides obviously surfing, you do a lot of work that you already mentioned in terms of um trying to send a certain message uh into the world, right?
00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:36.719
You know, speaking now, you you you started doing coaching, and then you have a movie over the edge.
00:34:36.880 --> 00:34:40.639
Like, what's what's for you in doing all of this work?
00:34:40.880 --> 00:34:43.599
What are you trying to get into the world?
00:34:43.760 --> 00:34:44.960
Like, what's the message?
00:34:45.840 --> 00:34:50.639
What do you want people to sort of maybe do more of because of your work?
00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:54.880
Oh, it's a good question.
00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:58.000
I think that I'm trying to encourage people.
00:34:58.639 --> 00:35:08.320
One of the main messages that I also tell my boys is like my son will say, I'm scared, but I did it anyway.
00:35:09.599 --> 00:35:13.280
So yeah, to to to really like take heart and have courage.
00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:22.079
And I I think that nothing great or big will come will come to us unless we are willing to stretch ourselves.
00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:34.239
That fear is a part of the process, and if we want to do something significant, we really do have to put ourselves out there, we have to take risks, and hopefully those are those are good risks.
00:35:34.320 --> 00:35:40.000
Uh I think things like preparation and experience help us to decide when it's a good risk to take.
00:35:40.320 --> 00:35:42.239
But yeah, we really do.
00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:51.360
I believe we're all born with with gifts, with talents, and that we we should be using those to do something amazing with them.
00:35:51.599 --> 00:36:07.360
Whether whether we're doing something inspiring ourselves or we're using that to help other people, yeah, it's it's it's so important that we're proactive with life is so short, you know, and it's so so important to to go big, I think.
00:36:08.960 --> 00:36:18.880
Yeah, go big and you know, serve your big waves uh as the all we all have big waves in our lives, and I think uh we kind of all know what those are.
00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:23.519
So yeah, just an encouragement to surf your big wave, whatever that looks like.
00:36:23.840 --> 00:36:33.039
Well, speaking, you know, of those big waves that people that might be approaching people at different stages of their life, what would you recommend people to do?
00:36:33.119 --> 00:36:54.719
Maybe like step one, step two, step three, they are you know facing their big waves, whether that's work or relationships or maybe health or whatever that is, like what are the the first few things that you that you think people should should should do to to do it in the right way and to approach it and to have this beautiful transformational experience.
00:36:55.440 --> 00:36:56.559
Yeah, yeah.
00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:05.840
I think that a good starting point is to is to be prepared, like for what know what you're going into, you know.
00:37:06.239 --> 00:37:18.079
Be prepared and um and that make sure that the the reward or the thing on the other side of it is worth it, is worth the effort, you know.
00:37:18.880 --> 00:37:32.079
I think a lot of people a lot of people unfortunately work or they do things, but they actually don't really know why they are doing it or what the purpose is, and they put a lot of effort into something but they don't know kind of why.
00:37:32.239 --> 00:37:39.519
So I think knowing what you're working towards, what's on the other side of the fear, what's on the other side of the challenge, that must mean something to you.
00:37:40.000 --> 00:38:03.519
That that needs to be important to you, and and that can also that can be very motivate motivating to get you through the tough times when you kind of have in mind the reward or the opportunity on the other side, being prepared for whatever coming your way, you know, there's no shortcuts, and you have to be disciplined and being prepared.
00:38:03.840 --> 00:38:10.960
And then yeah, accept that if you're gonna do something big, that that fear and anxiety is gonna be a part of it.
00:38:11.119 --> 00:38:13.199
And I think it's always good to acknowledge.
00:38:13.280 --> 00:38:31.199
We don't want to ever shove it down, acknowledge that it's there, feel all the feelings, be present with it, but then also acknowledge that it's that's not you, and and you can let that pass like a cloud moving through the air, and and you can reframe it into and build excitement in the face of it, yeah.
00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:32.800
Whatever you're facing.
00:38:33.280 --> 00:38:35.280
Yeah, I hope that that kind of helps a little bit.
00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.639
I was a bit all over the place.
00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:46.159
But no, still the no understanding, you know, the reason why you're doing that, so you know it's worth it because it's a huge factor, then being prepared, you know, knowing what you're getting yourself into.
00:38:46.239 --> 00:38:47.199
And are you prepared?
00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:48.320
Are you ready, right?
00:38:48.400 --> 00:38:55.519
You're not like gonna be surfing seven-story building tall waves without preparation, like that's not the thing.
00:38:56.320 --> 00:39:09.119
Um and then to yeah, accepting the fear as the thing that's gonna show up, and you're gonna need to deal with that and maybe uh figuring out how you're gonna deal with that when it shows up.
00:39:09.599 --> 00:39:10.000
Sure.
00:39:10.159 --> 00:39:22.639
And I also also just thinking on that, I think a lot of people will often feel a bit stuck or overwhelmed when they when they're thinking of a big thing that they want to do, but taking those first little steps towards it's also very important.
00:39:22.800 --> 00:39:38.000
Like I've had many moments when I mean that one story I spoke about in my in my talk when you were listening is I was I was crying, I was so fearful and overwhelmed, but I traveled all the way to Hawaii for the these huge waves, but I was so scared.
00:39:39.119 --> 00:39:48.079
But just taking that first step, that's that's the the the first little bit of of momentum, taking a step towards it and then taking another one.
00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:55.679
And and my my big wave journey has been a whole lot of little stepping stones that have brought me to in surfing on on the biggest stages around the world.
00:39:55.840 --> 00:40:01.679
So taking those little steps towards it in the right direction and being intentional about it has been very important for me.
00:40:01.920 --> 00:40:06.639
Yeah, you know, it reminds me of this phrase, how do you eat an elecond, like one bite at a time, right?
00:40:06.960 --> 00:40:18.639
And it also reminds me of one story, like a client recently told me about how she was afraid to let go of certain like operations in her company that she uh spent so much time building.
00:40:18.880 --> 00:40:31.440
And when I told you, well, you don't need to do like just one big chunk of you know all at once, just if you do it step by step, like you know, giving one task, then another task to a person and seeing how they handle it.
00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:40.719
So I feel like a lot of big things in life, if we just approach them like one small step at a time, they also actually trigger a lot less fear, you know.
00:40:40.800 --> 00:40:45.280
If you're like, okay, I'm just doing this step, I don't know, preparing presentation for the talk.
00:40:45.440 --> 00:40:48.239
I'm just practicing, you know, this in front of the mirror.
00:40:48.320 --> 00:40:53.679
When you like do it one step at a time, it's it's often like what I found a lot less scary.
00:40:54.079 --> 00:41:05.360
Yeah, I think it makes a huge difference because our brains naturally want to fly to the end and see the whole picture, and woof, it's a massive mountain to climb and it's it's overwhelming.
00:41:05.599 --> 00:41:10.400
Yeah, but yeah, taking those little steps, yeah, so good.
00:41:10.719 --> 00:41:17.840
Well, you know, speaking of big wave moments in our lives, in our careers, what's the next big wave for you now?
00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:21.440
What's the the next sort of scary thing that you're working on?
00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:37.920
Well, uh in in in a more like literal sense, the there's some, I think at the end of the year in Hawaii, there's going to be some really big waves because everyone's talking about this El Nino that's forming, and they're saying some people are saying it's going to be the strongest El Nino recorded in like a hundred years.
00:41:38.159 --> 00:41:45.039
And the last time we had a really strong El Nino, we had the best season in Hawaii in in big wave surf history.
00:41:45.280 --> 00:41:46.800
That was in 2016.
00:41:47.039 --> 00:41:58.800
And so yeah, I'm kind of mentally preparing and getting my boards ready for like riding hopefully the biggest wave of my life at the end of the year.
00:41:58.960 --> 00:42:04.320
And it is quite a terrifying thought, but if it does come, I want to be I want to be ready for it.
00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:07.360
So that's kind of next on my horizon.
00:42:08.079 --> 00:42:13.519
Yeah, I'm also leaning into the coaching space, as I mentioned, and that's been really, really cool.
00:42:13.599 --> 00:42:19.679
So I think that's a that's a new big wave for me that I'm trying to tackle and and and so much fear.
00:42:19.840 --> 00:42:30.320
Like I be when I've got a session coming up, I'm like, it feels like I'm going to surf like a huge, huge waves of dungeons, and I'm trying to get prepared for it, you know.
00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:30.880
Yeah.
00:42:31.360 --> 00:42:33.679
So that's also been been really cool.
00:42:33.840 --> 00:42:42.960
And so did you find the same process helpful that you use for writing big waves that uh yeah, applicable to coaching?
00:42:43.599 --> 00:43:00.960
Definitely some of the the same processes, but also it because it's such a new world to me, I don't have I do have a lifetime of of experience in the sense of of my felt experience and dealing with people around the world and all that stuff, but this is now a new space for me.
00:43:01.039 --> 00:43:03.280
So there's definitely a lot of imposter syndrome.
00:43:03.519 --> 00:43:07.519
I don't have that experience in in that field specifically.
00:43:07.760 --> 00:43:12.480
So there's a lot of like trading new ground, which which is very scary for me.
00:43:12.800 --> 00:43:22.079
Yeah, I think you you you said it right, like this like new ground is that is what often the scariest thing for us, no matter in what domain it is.
00:43:22.800 --> 00:43:23.360
Right.
00:43:23.840 --> 00:43:24.639
Definitely.
00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:30.000
What what are some of the what are some of the things you do when you're facing fear?
00:43:30.239 --> 00:43:31.840
How do you cope with it yourself?
00:43:32.000 --> 00:43:34.480
And what are some of your processes like?
00:43:34.960 --> 00:43:49.760
I think you know it's pretty much the same what you explained, in a sense that like I I also studied uh a lot of high performance psychology and like the process, and I coach a lot of people on going through difficult moments in their lives.
00:43:50.079 --> 00:43:57.519
And it's a visualizing okay, like what it is you want very clearly, what's the experience you're afraid of?
00:43:57.599 --> 00:44:02.239
You know, there is this phrase fear is a Mile wide and an inch deep.
00:44:02.480 --> 00:44:08.480
When you actually define your fear, like what exactly it is that you are afraid of, right?
00:44:08.800 --> 00:44:10.400
All of the details.
00:44:10.639 --> 00:44:21.519
And very often you'll find that actually what you're afraid of either very unlikely to happen, or I also invite people in, I do it myself.
00:44:21.760 --> 00:44:24.880
Actually, walk yourself through the worst case scenario.
00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:28.000
And for most of us, it's not dying, right?
00:44:30.320 --> 00:44:31.440
Are you still there?
00:44:31.599 --> 00:44:32.800
I think we yes.
00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:33.840
Yes, I am.
00:44:34.000 --> 00:44:34.159
Yeah.
00:44:34.400 --> 00:44:34.800
Yes.
00:44:34.960 --> 00:44:48.719
So the looking into worst case scenario, what also Tim Ferris, like just uh one one of the sort of uh entrepreneurs thought leaders online, uh popularized fear setting, right?
00:44:48.800 --> 00:44:56.000
You look into the worst case scenario and you define that very clearly, like, okay, what is the worst case scenario?
00:44:56.079 --> 00:44:57.679
Then the likelihood of that.
00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:06.079
And then A, you think through all of the things that you're gonna do if that does happen.
00:45:06.400 --> 00:45:12.719
So, sort of like, okay, you know, if the worst storm, like the worst outcome, I'm gonna do X, Y, and Z.
00:45:13.199 --> 00:45:20.960
And then what can you do now to prevent that from happening and you take action steps in that?
00:45:21.119 --> 00:45:29.679
Let's say I'm about to do public speaking and I'm afraid that I don't know, my presentation is not gonna open up or like my clicker not gonna work, etc.
00:45:29.840 --> 00:45:30.079
Right.
00:45:30.159 --> 00:45:33.920
So I prepare for all of the situations and I have a game plan.
00:45:34.400 --> 00:45:41.599
And once I'm ready for all of that, and I also realize even if it's the worst case scenario, right?
00:45:41.840 --> 00:45:47.119
And uh I'll still be able to do most of the things, it's not that scary, and I have the solution.
00:45:47.280 --> 00:45:50.960
And after that, I'm not that scared because, like, what are you afraid of?
00:45:51.119 --> 00:45:53.199
Like for most of us, again, it's not your experience.
00:45:53.280 --> 00:45:56.880
We are not like, you know, riding waves and we're not about to be killed.
00:45:57.039 --> 00:46:00.000
And so it's you know, a situation that is much easier to handle.
00:46:00.079 --> 00:46:04.800
But yes, you sort of want to visualize that whole process with the worst in the case scenario.
00:46:04.880 --> 00:46:07.119
You want to prepare for everything that you can.
00:46:07.280 --> 00:46:22.880
And then I think as you mentioned, you know, a couple of other things, like your why, what's the the reason why you want to do that, like the importance of that, like what's in it for you to give you like the motivation and the energy and the excitement, right?
00:46:22.960 --> 00:46:24.320
What are you trying to create?
00:46:24.559 --> 00:46:33.360
And then ultimately those, you know, small steps, like okay, I remember when I wanted to jump out of the airplane, you know, do my first parachute, like a jump.
00:46:33.599 --> 00:46:35.760
I think a week before I started freaking out.
00:46:35.840 --> 00:46:40.000
I was literally uh feeling anxiety being nowhere near the plane.
00:46:40.239 --> 00:46:46.079
And I would I I said to myself at that moment, you're just gonna take it one step at a time.
00:46:46.320 --> 00:46:48.639
So right now you're nowhere near the plane.
00:46:48.719 --> 00:46:51.360
So, you know, there is no reason to be afraid.
00:46:51.519 --> 00:47:04.800
Then as I approach the experience, I'm like, okay, I'm just getting dressed, I'm just driving to the place, I'm just getting onto the plane, I'm just sitting on this bench and you know, being stripped to that guy.
00:47:04.960 --> 00:47:08.960
And then it's like, you know, just one second of fear and you're flying.
00:47:09.440 --> 00:47:10.079
Yeah.
00:47:11.119 --> 00:47:12.000
That's awesome.
00:47:12.079 --> 00:47:16.639
So you just right here, right now, you can deal with it what's directly in front of you.
00:47:16.800 --> 00:47:17.199
Exactly.
00:47:17.280 --> 00:47:36.320
You know, it's sort of like those blinders they put on horses so they don't get scared of all the staff because very often, as you said, your mind will try to like sort of grasp the whole picture just to have better sort of hold of things, but it's not always good for your emotional and mental state to actually deal with the situation.
00:47:36.480 --> 00:47:41.599
And what I learned also from Navy SEALs, they called it the skill compartmentalization.
00:47:41.679 --> 00:47:59.920
So basically, in life in general, if you want to deal well with situation in hand, very often you need to actually close your perspective so you only deal with that thing that is in front of you versus trying to grasp the whole thing and deal with every single step that is coming at you.
00:48:00.800 --> 00:48:02.400
So awesome, yeah.
00:48:02.559 --> 00:48:07.280
So that I found to be uh very helpful, and the same, like you know, with with my clients as well.
00:48:07.360 --> 00:48:09.039
Like, okay, what do we need to deal with now?
00:48:09.119 --> 00:48:11.039
And that's the whole thing, right?
00:48:12.159 --> 00:48:12.719
Awesome.
00:48:12.880 --> 00:48:17.199
No, no, but that being said, you know, I have still a few questions for you.
00:48:17.360 --> 00:48:19.840
Uh so thank you for asking me a question as well.
00:48:19.920 --> 00:48:30.960
You know, high performance psychology is actually the thing that I'm I think the most passionate about, but because I feel like if you win the game here, you can win any game outside in the outside world.
00:48:33.039 --> 00:48:42.000
So the question is first, what is the question that you are not asked, but wish people would ask you more often?
00:48:54.800 --> 00:49:10.320
Maybe it's along the lines of like how yeah, maybe it is along the lines of like the stuff I want fear, like how do you how do you have the courage to do it?
00:49:10.400 --> 00:49:19.840
Because a lot of people just assume that I don't get scared, and a lot of people just assume that it comes naturally, but I actually get like so scared.
00:49:20.079 --> 00:49:34.880
So like yeah, maybe how like what's it like to be so scared and what's it like to still build the courage to to step up to that, you know, because most people think oh I'm just gonna paddle out now and go surf a huge wave.
00:49:34.960 --> 00:49:38.079
So yeah, what maybe tell us about this experience?
00:49:38.239 --> 00:49:42.880
Like, how does it feel from if from the inside out, right?
00:49:43.039 --> 00:49:53.039
To to be that scared, to you have that fear that's probably quite strong, you know, go speaking of what you do, and and still do it, being able to do what you do.
00:49:53.440 --> 00:50:17.519
Well, yeah, so I have all of these things that kind of get me to a place, the preparation, the visualization, the self-talk, all of the past experience and everything, but then there's still a big gap that I would take this leap of faith, and yeah, to uh for me, I uh I pray and I really feel like God helps me a lot, like he meets me very, very powerfully.
00:50:17.679 --> 00:50:26.320
And yeah, when I'm feeling super vulnerable and I don't I just need need extra, you know, need extra faith.
00:50:26.559 --> 00:50:40.960
So yeah, but it it's also it it's so uncomfortable being in those places, and and but I think it's also just it's so important for us as humans to be in those vulnerable moments and it's just so real.
00:50:41.920 --> 00:51:04.480
And uh and yeah, you can you can almost feel yourself kind of growing in that while you experiencing it the the those moments where you're just touching the edge, touching the edge of your potential, or the fear is just so overwhelming, but you're still able to like know that there's a purpose in this, yeah.
00:51:04.719 --> 00:51:20.960
Like, yeah, just going back to that one experience when I was sitting in the in the my tent about to go surf like 60-foot waves in in Hawaii, and I was surrounded, it was still dark outside, and I could hear the waves thundering 10 kilometers away at Jaw's.
00:51:21.039 --> 00:51:24.000
Like I knew there were huge waves waiting for me when the sun came up.
00:51:24.079 --> 00:51:33.119
I needed to go down there and surf these huge waves, and I just was so terrified and jet-lagged and surrounded by so much vulnerability.
00:51:33.360 --> 00:51:38.400
But I also realized, like my my one friend told me, it's it's a privilege to feel pressure.
00:51:38.559 --> 00:51:41.679
And yeah, I guess that's really where the diamonds are made, right?
00:51:41.760 --> 00:51:55.599
And and I just I just felt like in that moment, in that vulnerability, I thought this is like exactly where I'm supposed to be, and this is what I what I actually need right now, is to just be so stretched, but surging forward, I'm taking the steps and I'm still gonna go do this thing.
00:51:55.760 --> 00:52:01.840
Yeah, it was like actually a privilege to move go through that and then reflect on it, how how amazing that experience was.
00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:09.039
And I and I think that a lot of yeah, a lot of us, we don't take ourselves to those places where we're super, super stretched.
00:52:09.280 --> 00:52:15.199
Like maybe we overworked in another sense, you know, but and overwhelmed with with life.
00:52:15.440 --> 00:52:21.599
But I think we often don't take ourselves to the edge of our of our potential within our passion.
00:52:21.760 --> 00:52:26.960
Yeah, it's and it's a very special place to to go to where we yeah, we really, really stretched.
00:52:27.199 --> 00:52:46.079
Yeah, I guess you know what I'm hearing is you're able to overcome that because what you feel on the other side, and I feel like what that's what hooks you is that sense of being the most alive and on purpose and being like this in the right place at the right time and doing exactly what you're meant for.
00:52:46.719 --> 00:52:49.599
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:52:49.679 --> 00:52:51.840
And you know that potential, like it's so related.
00:52:52.159 --> 00:52:56.239
It's the mission of my life is to help to people to unlock more of their potential.
00:52:56.320 --> 00:53:08.480
And what drives me personally is like that feeling of tapping into that a little bit more with every I don't know, fear full experience that I choose to take on.
00:53:08.639 --> 00:53:11.920
But that's the like where you feel the most alive.
00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:13.280
I can so relate to that.
00:53:13.519 --> 00:53:32.719
Um but another you know question that I wanted to ask you, given again what what you do and what you've been through, and um, you know, you're so young still, like do you ever think about sort of the end of your life or the ultimate vision of your life?
00:53:32.800 --> 00:53:38.960
Or let's say you're 90, what what is good life for you from that point of view?
00:53:39.199 --> 00:53:43.760
You're looking back at you know all your experiences that you're still to go through.
00:53:44.000 --> 00:53:50.880
Like, what do you think needs to be there for you to say, hey, I lived a good life?
00:53:51.280 --> 00:53:52.960
Yeah, I do actually.
00:53:53.039 --> 00:54:01.440
I my my brother passed away two years ago, and that was like quite a big wake up of how short life can be and how precious life is.
00:54:01.599 --> 00:54:09.519
And yeah, when you come so close to to death, it really does make you think a lot about what you want to do with your life.
00:54:10.239 --> 00:54:24.960
The first things that it really encouraged me to do was actually not performance and surfing, but more just like to have good relationships with my family and my my wife and my kids and my friends.
00:54:25.119 --> 00:54:40.800
So that was like a really important thing for me was like if there's if there's I think that our relationships in life are the most important things, and yeah, I always say for me in my life, God first, family second, surfing third, you know.
00:54:41.119 --> 00:54:55.840
So yeah, it it's I think it's uh what that question you're asking is so important to take ourselves to the end of our lives, and what's what what is what if we look back, what's gonna be a good life, you know, and I do think about that.
00:54:56.000 --> 00:55:05.920
And I think if I can inspire people to to ride their big waves, that would be a really cool thing, and and help a lot of people.
00:55:06.159 --> 00:55:15.440
I really want to encourage people to be able to like break those chains of fear of failure, fear of not being enough.
00:55:15.679 --> 00:55:30.559
Because when I was younger, I would often surf to not fall off my board, I would surf to not fail people's expectations, and there was this radical ceiling on my performance.
00:55:30.719 --> 00:55:51.360
I should have been surfing and shining, but I was surfing down here and because I was gripped by this fear of what other what other people thought of me, and yeah, I think there's there's there's a a scripture that says that the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I've come that they may have life and life to the full.
00:55:51.519 --> 00:55:56.480
And I feel like fear is something that robs us of so much in our lives.
00:55:56.559 --> 00:56:05.360
And if I could help to help people to look in and shine a bit of light into that fear and help them to live a bigger life, I think that I would be pretty stoked.
00:56:05.760 --> 00:56:06.320
Amazing.
00:56:06.400 --> 00:56:07.440
What a great vision.
00:56:07.679 --> 00:56:19.920
I think it's also a good good time to maybe finish our podcast and yeah, to to get on with living our big lives, writing our big ways.
00:56:20.559 --> 00:56:35.440
Matt again, thank you so much for the interview and for I'm sure inspiring more people to approach their life in a bigger way and to unlock more of their potential and to do the things that they're fearful of.
00:56:35.760 --> 00:56:52.079
As maybe uh the the last message or something that you would like uh our listeners to uh you you would like our to leave our listeners with, like what's maybe the message or an action step, or yeah, anything as a parting.
00:56:52.559 --> 00:57:03.440
Uh something that's maybe at the forefront of my mind would just be go and define what your big wave is that you need to ride, and then start taking steps towards that.
00:57:03.760 --> 00:57:12.400
And that'll help you to yeah, like riding that big wave is probably what's gonna really give you that sense of purpose.
00:57:12.559 --> 00:57:14.400
So yeah, what is that?
00:57:15.599 --> 00:57:21.280
Yeah, no, well, yeah, what what a good question to finish with.
00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:28.719
Well, and the very last question is where do you want people to go to you to connect with your message, to learn more about your work, to follow your journey?
00:57:28.880 --> 00:57:31.119
What are the best places that we'll link in show notes?
00:57:31.360 --> 00:57:31.679
Thank you.
00:57:31.840 --> 00:57:36.800
I most of my media goes out through my Instagram, so it's Matt Bromley Surf.
00:57:37.440 --> 00:57:41.199
And also have a YouTube channel, which is also Matt Bromley Surf.
00:57:41.280 --> 00:57:44.480
So that's probably a place where you can see everything that's going on.
00:57:44.800 --> 00:57:45.199
Amazing.
00:57:45.280 --> 00:57:47.599
Yeah, and we'll link that in the show notes.
00:57:47.760 --> 00:57:57.840
And thank you so much again, Matt, for inspiring so many people again to live bigger lives on the and discover more of their purpose on the other side of the earth.
00:57:58.079 --> 00:57:58.400
Thank you.
00:57:58.639 --> 00:57:59.440
Thank you, Angela.
00:57:59.519 --> 00:58:00.800
It was great to chat.