Trust your gut when surfing (even if it’s saying nope)

When I see a wave bigger than 3 feet and a busy lineup, I’m like: no thank you, and turn my back to the ocean. Okay, not quite. But the fear of a bad wipeout—or colliding with another surfer or a rogue board—keeps me safe in the whitewash.

Because my gut knows that with my slow-as-a-snail pop-up, I’m a liability. Can you learn to trust your gut when surfing?

There’s this idea floating around in surf culture (and honestly, life) that hesitation is the enemy. That if you just go for it, you’ll progress faster. Don’t let fear stand in the way of the best wave of your life.

You know—that kind of trash talk.

But here’s the thing: your gut is usually on your side.

If you’re hesitating at the top of a wave, pulling back at the last second, or skipping sets that feel too big and heavy—it might not be a lack of courage. It might be your body telling you you’re not ready. Or that the conditions aren’t right for the surfer you currently are.

And that’s okay.

Fear is not the enemy

Volumes have been written on how to manage fear in surfing—how to get over it. You know the advice: acknowledge and accept your fear, visualize success, breathe deeply.

Dude. I’m just trying to concentrate on my pop-up. I don’t have time to do box breathing exercises on a moving wave.

Yes, pushing past fear can be empowering. But overconfidence—especially when your skills aren’t quite there—can lead to wipeouts, injuries, or worse: it can put you off surfing for good.

The potato field principle

Let me tell you about overconfidence.

I’m 16 years old and I’m the best glider pilot in the universe. Or so I thought. I’m blaming Top Gun.

I go for a little ride. Get lost—because map reading, not my thing. I’m running out of thermal juice, so I land in a potato field instead of an airfield. When my friends come to retrieve me and my wholesome little glider, they inspect my homemade landing pad and are not impressed.

Apparently, I landed just behind a row of 20-meter trees and in front of a massive ditch.

Translation: That could’ve ended really, really, really badly. Pure luck it didn’t.

I’ve carried a healthy dose of fear ever since.

You’re not chicken, you’re actually smart

So yeah. Listen to your fear. Not all of it is irrational.

You can build your confidence through reps, small wins, and forgiving waves. Let your instinct keep you safe—while you build the skills to back your ambition to be the best surfer in the universe.