I’m heading to Portugal for a long weekend and, if I’m lucky, I’ll catch a few waves.

It got me thinking about what surfing really is.

When you catch a wave, you’re making use of a pulse of energy that has travelled hundreds, sometimes thousands, of miles across the ocean. The wave has enormous power. Get your timing wrong by only a few seconds, and you’ll find yourself underneath several tonnes of water. Get it right and, for a few moments, you’re carried effortlessly across the face of the wave.

Running a consultancy often feels much the same.

You’re working with powerful forces every day. Client delivery. Business development. Marketing. Admin. Family commitments. None of them is inherently a problem, but together they create a constant flow of demands competing for your attention.

Your best work often sits surprisingly close to the edge of overwhelm.

Choosing the right waves

Watch experienced surfers and you'll notice they don’t try to catch every wave.

Most waves are ignored.

They spend their energy waiting for the right opportunity, knowing that one good wave is worth far more than chasing ten poor ones.

Experienced consultants develop a similar habit and become increasingly selective about where they invest their energy.

They focus on the client work where they’re at their best.

Their marketing is a space where they develop and refine their thinking rather than feeling like another task on the list.

They save their sales energy for prospects that recognise the value of their work and are ready to buy.

Just as importantly, they become comfortable leaving other work alone.

They become much better at recognising which opportunities deserve their time, and which will drain their energy for the best work.

Rest is part of the rhythm

Surfing is physically demanding.

When you become tired, your judgement changes. You paddle for waves you should probably leave. Your timing slips. Small mistakes become bigger ones.

The same thing happens in a consultancy.

When you’re well rested, you make better decisions. You spot the work that matters and have the patience to let go of the wrong opportunities.

When you’re running on empty, everything starts to feel equally urgent. And you can easily find yourself overwhelmed by work that would normally have been manageable.

Rest isn’t separate from doing good work. It’s one of the conditions that makes it possible.

Running a consultancy isn’t about eliminating pressure. Just like surfing, some of the enjoyment comes from working with powerful forces.

The goal is to learn which waves are worth catching and to have the energy to catch them well.

If this feels familiar, it’s exactly the sort of pattern we’ll be exploring at the next Breakthrough Day. It’s a chance to step outside the day-to-day demands of your consultancy, compare notes with other experienced consultancy owners, and reflect on where your energy is really going.