This is not a post about lessons from B2B sales, I promise. Here I explain my view of a sport that, after just two classes, gave me a surprisingly clear lens on life. The sport is kitesurfing: a water sport that involves you (the kiter), a kite, and a board.
What does kitesurfing have to do with life?
In two classes, I identified nine factors at play. Six you can control, and three you can't. That ratio alone felt familiar.
ControllableLife lessons in kitesurfing
Every factor maps directly onto a life situation. Tap each one to see the connection.
You control speed by pulling or releasing the bar. In life, knowing when to push hard and when to ease off is the difference between momentum and burnout. Aggressiveness is a dial, not a switch.
Small handle adjustments change your entire direction on the water. Relationships work the same way. Slight shifts in how you engage, listen, or pull back can change everything.
Your body position decides whether you hold ground or get pulled off balance. Standing firm on what you believe takes the same intentional positioning. Lean in, plant your feet, commit.
You need to know where your kite sits in the wind window at all times. In life, that is doing your homework: understanding what forces are at play before making a move. Awareness before action.
You show up to the water with whatever mental state you carry. Doubt yourself and the kite controls you. Same in life: confidence is not optional, it is operational.
Every kiter has a quick-release system, learned before you ever touch the water. Knowing your exit and managing the downside is what lets you take bigger swings with confidence.
You cannot control what other kiters do, only how you navigate around them. Same with people. You control your response, your positioning, your awareness. Never their behavior.
Tides change regardless of your plans. The environment you operate in, whether markets, economy, or culture, shifts on its own timeline. You adapt, or you fight a losing battle.
The wind can trick you. A gust that feels strong fades instantly, or calm air suddenly picks up. Our biases work the same way. What we think is true is not always what is real. Stay skeptical, stay calibrated.
Six controllable factors against three you can't touch. Most of the game is in your hands, if you focus on the right levers.
Sports have parallels with life. Practice them if you can.
The wind doesn't care about your plans. But how you respond to it is the whole game.