Have you ever been caught in front of your computer doing nothing in particular?

The other day I thought up the 10 minute challenge.

• Identify something important in your business that needs addressing and write it in the centre of a mind map. E.g.
  • need more sales meetings
  • need more web traffic
• For 10 minutes mind map the stream of thought about all the things you can do to achieve your chosen outcome. Write things down really quickly. Put yourself under the pump.
• Then do all the activities that arise.

A little bit of reflection every now and then can greatly improve your business.

A little project I did with Hoop Group and the help of Pablo Rodrigues from Eye on Media in Chile.

Why does this photo I took at Narrabeen Lake make me feel so good inside?

Many times, when I go surfing, I take the day’s toils with me into the water. I paddle out distracted, unfocussed and I simply can’t catch any waves!

I remember one particular Summer’s day at Newport Beach, I was surfing on my own after a long day at work. I paddled around in the turbid water looking for the right wave. I must have been almost an hour and I had had no luck! I took some deep breaths, slid off my longboard and dunked my whole body in the water and relaxed.

Then…When I surfaced a thumping set rolled in and I got one!

I pulled out of the wave with a changed perspective.  I was awestruck by beauty of the sunset lit cliffs at Newport. I was elated to be lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the World. My renewed view meant that, without thinking, I could pick off the right wave and surf its endless curl. I ended up having one of my most memorable surfs, I caught heaps of waves and I felt like a Pro. On the way back in, lying chest down on my board, I felt grounded. I was tired, but so refreshed.

Surfing helps me to focus on the here and now. It lets me forget about what happened yesterday and what will happen tomorrow. It’s like meditation, I centre myself.

Recently, I had the same experience at Paradise Beach on Pittwater. There’s no waves there though! This time I was taking photos.

I arrived, unpacked and took some pretty boring landscape shots. I tried to photograph all the dingys lined up like soldiersagainst the Avalon Yacht Club. But look at the pic, I was having no luck at all!

Then I relaxed and for some reason got down and dirty! After about 45 minutes I was knee deep in sand looking for some great perspective shots on a slip ramp made out of old train tracks. I was immersed in my environment.

It was then that noticed the perspective of the tracks.

My head was so close to the rusty rail that I noticed its powerful colours and took this shot. I felt like I was surfing at Newport.

Surfing brings me into focus. Focussed photography brings me joy.  And with both, I always know there will be a better one.

All pics by me.