We were lucky to catch up with Daniel Parsons recently and have shared our conversation below.
Daniel , we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I’d have to say that my resilience and perseverance is a product of my lifelong ocean/surf journey. The ocean is powerful, humbling, calming, and invigorating all at the same time and connecting with it through surfing is something I am beyond passionate about. At Surf the Spectrum, we have four programs that are each designed to help individuals of all walks of life foster positive perspectives of healthy/active lifestyles and grow the resilience that life requires from us. Any time I’m in the ocean with a client it’s a privilege because I know how potent those experiences can be and how much they can lead to personal growth and development.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I am the owner/founder of Surf the Spectrum; a company based in Santa Monica, Malibu, and Ventura, California (instagram: @surfthespectrum) providing surf, skate, and fitness programming to youth, adolescents, and adults of all abilities. I hold a Masters Degree in Kinesiology and have a background in teaching at the university/collegiate level but went all in on the business when I started to see how profound of a need there is, especially in modern society, for helping individuals learn to fortify the mind-body connection. Each of our programs draws from the evidence base as it pertains to human movement and performance and it’s just so fulfilling to see our clients grow stronger, more confident, and commit to healthy and physically active lifestyles. The continuous growth of the company is exciting and validates that movement truly can be medicine for our bodies and minds.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Work ethic, consistency, and major attention to detail are the ones that come to mind. To be successful at anything, I think one has to be comfortable (or learn to be comfortable) with putting in really long days, reading research and literature pertaining to your field, and doing it day after day. Thankfully, I’m am truly working my dream job so it’s “easy” to do all that, even with a two kids at home under 3 years of age and a rapidly expanding business. I think about legacy all the time, and I just hope that one day I can look back and say that I did everything I could to help people and make an impact in the community. It’s from what we are able to create for other people and for the community that all things flow and it’s something that motivates me everyday. I also think that education is key. We can have all the passion in the world to make a difference but without the intellectual understanding of “how” we can go in all sorts of directions. I read once that our education is the sail and our passion is the motor, we need both to get to where we’re going and they both need to be in harmony.
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
I’ll always point back to my parents when I think about current success. They led by example and were always teaching me without really teaching. They were and still are the most pure human beings I have ever known and I’m lucky to have them. It sounds funny but they used to read the LA Times with me every morning, especially on Sundays and it seems like a small thing but things like that helped me build an understanding of the world around me and probably were more impactful than I realized. I’m the youngest of four so my siblings also played a major role in helping me find myself and find my way through those early and impressionable years. My parents held me to the highest of standards and it wasn’t always easy but I understand now how much that does for us when we are young and developing perspectives and beliefs. So if I had to choose one thing, it’s the way they taught each of us to make a commitment to treat other people with unconditional respect and kindness. Things happen in my life everyday that test that commitment, of course, but I know that being at peace and connected with other people is way more important than the moment, it’s necessary.
Contact Info:
- Website: surfthespectrum.org
- Instagram: @surfthespectrum
- Linkedin: Daniel Parsons
