The very worst mistake in surfing? Going halfway.

No better time than the end of the year to have a quick review of the mistakes we may be making while surfing, just so we don’t repeat them in the new year, right? We already covered the biggest mistake we all make—namely, believing everything we read about surfing. But now we have a couple more for you.

Not time to read? There’s a micro-pod for that.

Surfers’ memory is short, judging by my own experience. Sometimes it works to our advantage—who wants to remember being told off in the lineup? But other times, it would be useful to retain the lessons we’ve learnt so we can build upon them. Like: look up when you’re paddling, not down! I forget unless I repeat a mantra of “eyes up, eyes up, eyes up.” But here are two other “mistakes” I’d like you to remember, following number one of believing everything we read and watch about surfing.

mistake number two: hesitation

Number two: we hesitate. And hesitation is the biggest enemy in surfing.

It starts innocently enough: should I go out today or not? You’re staring at the forecast and the cams with the intensity of a—well, something very intense—and somehow you’re still unable to make a decision. So you start building a case against it. It’s too big. It’s too small. It’s too cold. There’s grocery shopping to be done and Netflix shows to be watched.

Because going out means there’s a possibility of failing. In all sorts of ways: not catching as many waves as you’d like, not landing the thing you’re working on, not standing up at all, not even getting through the white water to the green waves.

And yes—when in doubt, don’t go out. Safety first, always. But sometimes it’s worth questioning, just a little, where that doubt is actually coming from.

when hesitation turns physical

There’s physical hesitation too. And this is where surfing really starts to unravel.

Physical hesitation is the half-paddle, the extra look over the shoulder, the almost-pop-up followed by sitting back down or kneeling. Let’s pray for a pop-up next time! It’s pulling back just as the wave finally gives you a push. It’s trying to keep your options open when, in reality, surfing demands a decision. The wave does not wait while you negotiate with yourself.

The tricky part is that hesitation often disguises itself as caution. We tell ourselves we’re being sensible, respectful, safe. But in surfing, half-decisions are often riskier than full ones. A committed paddle gives you speed. Speed gives you stability. Stability gives you options. Hesitation does the opposite. It slows you down, leaves you stuck in the worst part of the wave, and turns what could have been a manageable takeoff into a steeper, messier situation. Ironically, many wipeouts happen not because someone went for a wave—but because they almost did.

Hesitation also kills flow. When you hesitate, all the movements required to have an awesome ride—position, paddle, pop-up, turn—disconnect. The board wobbles. Your weight shifts. Panic kicks in. And once you panic, it’s bye-bye birdy. This is probably why experienced surfers often look “relaxed”, because they commit fully, even if they can’t guarantee a perfect result.

Of course, not every wave needs a yes. Safety first! Choosing not to go is not hesitation. The problem is the in-between space: starting, doubting—should I, maybe, possibly, better not—stopping. As corny as this may sound, surfing doesn’t reward maybes. There is no try. And if it doesn’t work out? Congratulations—you’ve just learned something useful.

mistake number three: expecting too much too soon

Number three: we expect too much too soon.

Surfing is not like knitting. You can easily knit a sweater in a few weeks and have something tangible to show for it. Surfing doesn’t work like that. But how we wish it did. You can surf for months—or years—and still feel like you’re back at square one on any given day.

You hear this a lot: progress in surfing is not linear. You don’t unlock skills in stages. You don’t get to perfectly replicate a skill just because you’ve done it before. One day you’re catching waves easily, the next you can’t get out of the whitewater. One session you feel on top of the world, the next you wonder if you’ve forgotten how to surf entirely. That’s not failure—that’s surfing.

It pains me to say this, but social media doesn’t help. You see some surfluencer’s six-month progression reel, and you expect to get to the same point in the same amount of time. I’m not saying it will not happen to you—but it will most likely not happen to you.

Measuring yourself against someone who surfs a completely different wave, on a different board, has a different body type and physical ability, and a totally different life schedule is guaranteed to lead to frustration. And frustration leads to quitting—or worse, forcing progression when it’s waaay too early. Yeah, I should get a smaller board. Yeah, I should go for these 4–6 foot waves. Then it just becomes dangerous.

As much as surfing rewards decisiveness, it also rewards patience. So, for our 2026, I wish us all: less hesitation, lower expectations, and don’t believe everything you read.