I love surfing. On the internet and on real waves.

Since the last few weeks, I’ve been thinking about it a lot, especially since I don’t find the time now.

Diana and I live in Faro, Portugal, whose beach is ranked as one of the best in Europe. But there are hardly any waves here; it’s mostly shallow water. So I spent my early weeks learning how to surf at Baleal, which has small waves that are great for beginners.

Baleal is just south of Nazaré, where you find the highest waves in the world. (Have you seen the video of a surfer riding a huge wave? It was shot at Nazaré.)

So why am I talking about surfing today? It’s because of Tobi Lutke’s viral memo to his employees on why they should treat AI like an indispensable team member. It was one of the biggest stories of last week.

In the coming weeks, I expect more Board of Directors and CXOs to follow suit and demand their employees “use AI or else.” Learning this skill is useful (Lutke believes not doing so will lead to stagnation).

But in the noisy world of AI, where does one start?

To help you, I want to draw parallels between surfing and learning AI. I have surfed for over a year and taught AI for over three years. And I’ve realized that the meta approaches in both of them are similar.

By applying the below five lessons, you will:

1. Advance in your career in an AI-driven workplace.
2. Enhance your productivity and competitive edge.
3. Build better work-life balance by reducing time on low-value tasks.

Let’s get started.

1. Don’t Try to Ride Every Wave

The aspect that’s key to surfing is also highly underrated: energy.

If you try to catch every wave, you'll exhaust yourself paddling back and forth, leaving no energy for when it truly matters. The good surfers are selective. They wait patiently on their boards at the right spot, waiting for the perfect opportunity.

Similarly, don't chase every new AI tool and trend. If you do, you will burn out. But if you identify 2-3 tools and learn how to use them well, you will get better results and ride a few waves properly.

Take a skill you are good at and research the best AI tool to do it. Then spend 2-3 weeks experimenting with it and observing the results. Use, learn, refine.

This practice alone will make you more adept at using AI than 90% of the people out there.

2. Trust Yourself And Commit Fully

Early on while learning to surf, there was a day when I was terrified.

Other surfers were still learning the basics, so I was ordered to go out alone. The waves were big and the surface rocky. And when a wave came, I tried to catch it. I didn’t know whether I would make it, so I let nature do its thing. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and stood up on the board. And lo and behold! I was actually surfing.

The same applies when learning AI. You WILL reach moments where theory meets practice, and uncertainty creeps in. You might stare at a blank prompt, unsure what to write. Instead of resorting to more tutorials, commit to completing the task. Put your half-formed knowledge into action, even if imperfect.

Forget about the results. Trust yourself and give it everything you’ve got. The more you sprint through the process, the more confident you become, and the more you learn.

3. When Caught in A “Washing Machine,” Don’t Fight It

In surfing, a rip current (or "washing machine") pulls you out to sea while waves crash overhead.

I got caught in one last year in the Canary Islands, along with two other surfers. Swimming and paddling hard get you nowhere. You cannot see the shore; the waves crash over you as you struggle to stay afloat. And you feel like you will die. (I certainly did.) The safest and most sensible approach, funnily, is to wait for the wave to pass, after which you can come up.

AI tools won’t put you in such life-and-death situations. (Unless you get trapped in the laboratory of an evil scientist who wants to take over the world. Seriously, don’t do it.) But, at times, you will feel like you’re caught in an AI rip current. Fighting during such times is futile. Just shut down the tool and walk away. Come back refreshed to fight another day.

You’re not giving up. You’re waiting until you can safely reorient yourself. There is a sea of difference.

4. It Helps To Have Learning Partners

Surfing alone can be intimidating.

When I had surf buddies, my confidence increased tenfold. With someone experienced nearby, I felt safer tackling bigger waves and pushing my boundaries. The ocean seemed less overwhelming with a companion who could offer guidance or assistance if needed.

The same principle applies to learning AI. Find colleagues, mentors, or online communities who are on a similar journey. When you're stuck with a complex prompt or can't figure out why your AI output isn't what you expected, having someone to troubleshoot with makes all the difference.

With mentors and partners, you can stay motivated, learn better, and go longer.

5. Play Your Own Game

In surfing, I initially tried to mimic experienced surfers, copying their techniques and style.

That was necessary for building fundamentals. But eventually, I had to develop my own approach based on my body type, strengths, and what felt natural. And I realized this by watching the surfers I admired. They weren’t performing textbook moves seamlessly—they were the ones tapping in to their distinctive style.

Your AI journey follows a similar path. Start by imitating proven prompt techniques and use cases. But as you advance, discover your unique way of working. Maybe you struggle with code generation but excel at visual prompting. Maybe you've found an effective way to use AI for your specific work challenges.

The key doesn’t lie in using AI like everyone else. (I mean, if we’re all the same, AI can copy us and become better than us.) It lies in building personalized workflows to amplify your distinct strengths and compensate for your weaknesses.

The Shared Joy of Mastery

There's nothing like the rush of riding a wave after weeks of falls and frustration. Likewise, mastering AI tools that once seemed intimidating gives you a rush.

While surfing, the indescribable thrill of gliding on water, perfectly synced with nature's power, puts me in a state of flow. With AI, it's the moment I transformed how I work. I now finish in minutes what used to take hours, produce better results than I thought possible, and have more time to focus on what matters.The struggle is part of what makes the accomplishment meaningful.

Paddle out, choose your wave wisely, and enjoy the ride.

Weekly Workflow: AI Iconography—Design Sets in Minutes

Surfing the AI wave has transformed how I create. Instead of spending hours manually designing icon sets, I'm now riding a much faster current.

Here's how I used ChatGPT 4o to generate a complete icon collection in one go:

I provided just three things:
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• A clear reference style (3D with soft shadows, minimal)
• A specific layout (3x3 grid)
• My icon list: Arrow, Home, Heart, Folder, Image, Chat, Location, Gear, Check

The result? A beautifully consistent icon set that perfectly matched my vision.

This process once consumed hours of design time. Now, it just takes minutes. It's that rush of mastery I get when I catch the perfect wave, the thrill of seeing AI transform how I work.

Give this workflow a try and post your results on LinkedIn. (And pat yourself on the back once you do 🙌🏼)

If you're in design or creative fields, don't fight the current.

Find your unique approach to using AI as your co-pilot.

Trust the process, commit fully, and watch as it amplifies your distinct strengths while giving you more time to focus on what truly matters.

Talk soon,

Sachin and Diana.

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P.S. Stay tuned for next week, when I will share a DIY guide on how to build a campaign moodboard from scratch in just 15-20 minutes. (If you are a professional in the creative field, imagine how much time it will save you!)

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