Surfing involves a complex set of biomechanics. Balancing on a strip of polystyrene while navigating an avalanche of water at speeds over 50km per hour demands considerable skill and courage.

The same is true of entrepreneurialism. Starting and growing a business is a steep learning curve across multiple disciplines. You need an open mind and plenty of guts.

However, functional mastery can only take you so far, because you can't surf the same wave forever. The impact of a surfer's technical competence is capped by their ability to identify and pick the right waves. If you don't choose good waves, it doesn't really matter how well you surf.

This is obvious if you're surfing, because waves don't have a particularly long lifecycle. It's not so obvious when you're running a business. Most entrepreneurs carve out a niche and then ride that opportunity for as long as they can. They rarely stop to consider what will happen when their wave crashes.

Don't let the technical demands of running a business distract you from the bigger picture. Learning how to be a better manager is important, but it won't help very much if you never pick better opportunities.

Sooner or later, every wave crashes. How prepared are you for the next one?