I spent the past two weeks in Costa Rica, a beautiful country with warm, gracious people. It also has some of the best surfing beaches in the world.

Growing up on the East Coast where the water seldom lets go of its icy grip, surfing was fantasized through the music' of the Beach Boys. So when I landed up in surfer's paradise, where buff bodies half my age were riding five foot waves, I was determined to make that fantasy a reality.

"Surfing is about going with the flow," said Pamo, my thirtiessomething instructor, who also runs a booming surfing business in Tamarindo, on Costa Rica's Pacific Coast. "And since you're also a business owner, I'll teach you surfing using the principles of business management.

"As with any sport, there are subdeties that come with practice and experience. Like running a business, they come from just 'doing it'. Your surf board is just a vehicle that allows you to ride a wave. If you try to hold on to it, you're in a losing match with the power of the nature. Most beginners come close to drowning themselves by desperately holding on to their boards when the momentum starts. But they're no match for the forces around them. Does that sound like any businesses owners you know?"

"The theory is simple enough," I replied. "It's like a business plan. But of course business reality is very different from business theory."

"Right. Lying on the board waiting for the 'perfect wave' is enjoyable but there's no action there. The action begins when you see the swell rise and you start to position yourself in front of it. You have a split second to make the choice-either stay or goand if you decide the latter, you better give it all you got or you and your board will quickly part."

I spent hours in the warm Pacific closing the gap between the theory and the reality. It was an exhausting experience! Getting from a prone position to standing up was so easy on the beach-like writing the perfect business plan-but reality delivers a different agenda. All the practice on dry land comd not prepare me for the tummtuous motion underneath my board.

"Get up! Get up! Get up!" Pamo womd yell, as he propelled my board on the cresting wave. If there were other instructions, they were lost in a sea of foam, sand and thundering water, tossing me and my board like insignificant flotsam. And of course, with my balance in jeopardy, I clung to the board for dear life.

Time, and time, and time again he gave the same instructions: "Get up in one motion. Keep your feet apart. Let go of the board." A few times I made it up and I comd feel the power of riding a wave. Wobbly as it was, the reality was experienced sufficiendy to validate the theory. It is all about balance and letting go and using the board as a vehicle to ride the wave rather than trying to control it.

"Tamarindo is booming," said Pamo as we were enjoying a beer after one of my lessons. "W hen I started my business, I didn't have a plan and I had no money. But there was this great beach and people wanted to surf So I started giving lessons on the one board I had ... my own. One day I noticed that no one had surf boards for rent. So I started doing that. Then I added other things, like beach wear and surfing tours. Now there are twenty surf shops on the strip and more and more tourists keep coming."

"I applied the same principles to growing my business that I apply to surfing. If you want to grow, you have to let go. Trying to control market forces is futile. My business is just a vehicle to have fun and make some money. If you try to control everything, like so many business owners do, it becomes an exhausting experience. It's easier to let the wave take you."

"I used to worry about the competition but I now focus on what I comd be doing better rather than on what they are doing. I spend more time charming my customers than running after new ones. That 'perfect wave' is often underneath you as you're looking for a better one."

After a few more hours of bobbing in the surf, the practicality of Pamo's comments became evident. It is all about timing and balance, and taking advantage of things the way they are. And, of course, having fun along the way.

Where do your emotions go when you watch a pride of lions stalking a herd of gazelle? Who do you champion? Would you side with the helpless animal that was separated from the herd and hopelessly fending off the predators? Or would you root for the lion, stealthily moving across the African savanna, a highly-skilled opportunist who understands the importance of timing, decisiveness and survival?

Whenever I engage an audience in this exercise, the overwhelming majority feel for the gazelle. Innocent, terrified and out maneuvered, most people identify with the fate of the victim. Even though they understand the underlying reality that governs the survival of the fittest, their emotions judge harshly. Seldom do participants identify with the prowess of the lion—the king of beasts—a highly-trained ‘entrepreneur’ whose instincts and versatility helps keep the balance on the African plains.

For the gazelle and similar grazing animals, the herd mentality shapes their daily lifestyle. There is little training required (or provided) for new born calves to adopt (and conform) to the herd’s predictable behavior. It is fairly basic: head down, munch the grasses, move on to greener pastures. There is, of course, a social structure which ensures control and conformity—the herd mentality—but little room for personal initiative to step out of the comfort zone. For survival, they stick together knowing there is relative safety in numbers.

Does this sounds rather similar to the lifestyle which is promoted in our culture. From primary school onward we are educated to accept the general consensus that, “this is the way our herd operates. Keep your head down and conform… and woe unto you if you step outside of the formatting”. We quickly learn to obey the rules and take on the employee mentality: do as we say and think within the box. Our ‘herd mentality’ is obviously much more sophisticated than grazing animals but very predictable nevertheless.

What a contrast to the world of the lion. Lion cubs are born blind. They spend the first two years learning how to hunt with the group and all the social rules of living within the pride. Unlike their prey, lions are completely dependent on their training and develop the necessary skill to survive. Each kill is a culmination of intense focus: stalking the herd, identifying the target, timing the charge and delivering the decisive deadly blow.

The purpose of the exercise is not to judge which animal is better, which is smarter, or whether it is right or wrong, but to illustrate that each animal plays a role which carries with it a specific mode of thinking and behavior. To survive and maintain the balance, both the predator and the prey are intimately linked. But the lion and the gazelle think and behave quite differently.

Entrepreneurs are the lions within our economic framework. They drive the wheels of innovation and progress. Entrepreneurs, whether they are loners, owners or CEO’s, are wired to think and behave differently. It is their essential nature. Some are fortunate to be raised in an entrepreneurial environment. Most are trapped in a herd mentality until a spark of inspiration motivates them to question the acceptable pattern. Unfortunately, it takes more than just wanting to be an entrepreneur. To be one, you have to think like one.

Our educational system denies entrepreneurial thinking. It teaches herd behavior and how best to survive within its structure. Some aspire to lead their following to greener pastures, to be more efficient and produce better results. Ultimately, their intent is to serve the survival of the herd (the company, the corporation, the organization, etc.). But no matter how aspiring the goal, it is still framed in the context of thinking like a gazelle.

Our economy is under huge pressure from an overdose of herd thinking. To restore balance in the current marketplace, owners and managers need to think like a lion. And to think like a lion you first have to stop thinking like a gazelle; that well-entrenched mindset that encourages conformity and behavior as we’ve always done. When you assume the role of the lion—thinking like an entrepreneur—your perspective changes dramatically. Instead of fearing change and hunkering down, you begin to identify opportunities and innovative ways to capture the momentum.

It’s easy to let our emotions be lured down with the victim. It takes courage to connect with the stealth of the lion. When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.

The question business owners ask me the most often is, "What is a good business opportunity to get in nowadays?" What I hear being said is, "I'm tired of the business I'm in and I'm looking for something more profitable."

I do not have an easy answer to that question. There are lots of great ideas and business opportunities for any entrepreneurial-minded person to pursue. But the potential in any idea is determined by the mindset of the person doing the exploring. The biggest challenge is getting clear on what you want. That is the starting point of any worthwhile endeavor.

It is one of the hardest things you'll ever do — letting go. Letting go of what you know so you can learn and experience something new.

Years ago when the tug-o-war between Pagemaker and QuarkXPress was in full gear, I camped on the Pagemaker side of the equation. There was no compelling reason for the choice; Pagemaker was installed in the shop where I worked. Using it daily creates habits and you come to expect certain things to be and move in certain ways.

Years later, I became the publisher of newspaper where Quark was the software of choice. For those who know the programs, the end result is fairly even but the route there is quite different. It’s not just learning different keystrokes, tips and tricks; the two rivals approach the interface from different ends of the stick. It requires a new orientation. After months of arguing the Pagemaker advantage, I faced the inevitable and opened Quark.

“Learning Quark is easy,” said Michelle who was hired to help me make the switch. “I can teach you the basics in a couple of hours. However, getting you to let go of the way you’ve been doing page layout could take several weeks.”

Letting go of what you know. I’ve attended several management and leadership workshops where ‘letting go’ was the major exercise for developing character and building trust. In one such case, the exercise involved climbing up a 25-foot pole that had a 9-inch square platform nailed to the top. The challenge was to stand on the platform and leap off and grab another rope—stretched horizontally—a few feet away. Thankfully, we were tethered to a safety line.

If you ever land up in a similar exercise, the most difficult part isn’t leaping off. The platform, small and shaky as it was—plus the comfort of seeing what you’re reaching for—provides a degree of comfort. And of course, there’s the optimism that things will go as planned!

No, by far the most difficult part is transitioning onto the platform. Climbing up is relatively easy because you have something to hang on to—much like climbing a ladder. Once you reach the platform however—remember it’s only a 9-inch square—you no longer have a place above you to put your hands. Holding on to the platform and trying to get your feet up requires great agility. And should you be lucky enough to get to a squatting position, standing erect on a pole that’s ‘to-ing ’n fro-ing’ requires incredible trust and balance. We spent an afternoon conquering our fears on that pole, and never really got good at it.

The instructor made it look easy and he would show the possibilities by doing it blindfolded. “The point is,” he would say, “we like to cling on to what we know. It feels safe. But if you want to grow, you have to let go.”

The challenge for many business owners is to let go and share decision-making power with others. Having done it ‘their way’ for however many years, these owners want to be involved in everything from the biggest decisions to the tiniest details. What they don’t realize is that this attitude is holding them—and their business—back. If you want your business to grow, you have to let go.

When the owner or manager tries to do it all, here is what usually results:

Opportunities are missed – With a mindset to stick with existing activities and practices, new opportunities are not seen.

Employees are less productive – Instead of being excited and taking initiative to improve performance, employees simply do what they are told.

Employees leave – With little opportunity to grow and take on more responsibility, employees will find other employers who recognize their talents and will appreciate them.

The business stays small – That way, the owner keeps the business manageable.

Planning suffers – Since the day-to-day operation occupies all the manager’s time, little attention is paid to where the business is or where it is heading.

The owner burns out – No person can do it all. It’s not only the business that takes a toll; the owner usually lands up physically and emotionally depleted as well.

It is so easy to see patterns of ‘holding on’ in our friends and associates, patterns that prevent so much more from happening. The thing is, those same friends and associates are seeing similar patterns in us. Is there something you will let go of today? Or will you just turn the page?

In a mere decade cell phones have claimed a similar status as a wallet or purse; you're not fully dressed until the little clamshell is snuggled next to you. Cell phones are no longer novel, they're just another fragment of technology's sweep through our culture. Do you need one? Of course! Do you want to be left behind?

The ring of your cell phone provides a momentary rush. It makes us feel important in an impersonal world. For just a moment our busy world stops as we focus our attention on a little mechanical device and say, “Hello”. Briefly it's 'all about me'.

Harry S. Dent, a financial strategist and market forecaster, has done an incredible amount of research into the cycles of innovation. Reaching back several centuries, Dent noticed a pattern of repetition: about every 80 years there is a radical generation that initiates a cycle of change. Each cycle is marked by tumultuous change in the early years when the innovations are developed, followed by a period of relative stability and refinement, which in turn, creates the right environment for the initiation of the next cycle.

It's uncanny. Dent is not selling crystal balls, but the more I studied his research, the more I felt caught in a cyclical momentum that was predetermined. Using a variety of historical milestones, economic indicators, demographics, innovation, migration and societal influences, he graphs each 80-year cycle. They have a peculiar familiarity to them. In fact, if you plot these cycles on top of one another, the graph lines indicating the economic activity within each cycle is almost identical.

A few years ago, I outsourced a design project to alleviate the pressures of the day. In my haste, I failed to give the graphic designer specific parameters of what was needed. Two weeks later when he delivered his mockups – along with an invoice – I was aghast. His simple design was certainly not exceptional and did not, in my estimation, justify an invoice that was heavily weighed in charging for that ambiguous activity called “creative”.

Throughout my years in the newspaper environment, designing advertising and other print media followed a standard formula. Since the cost of ad design was included in the purchase of the space, we could not afford to give the designers the luxury of inspiration time; they had to produce a wide variety of compelling ads in a limited time. Fortunately, good graphic designers in a deadline-driven environment are by their nature, creatively inspired; it's part of their skill set. And for those moments when creativity took a holiday, there were thousands of advertising mockups available as starting points. But artistic creativity is not the point of this article.

“I'm in an abusive relationship,” sighed Andrew. “My bookkeeper annoys the hell out of me but I just can't let him go. I keep hoping he'll improveC9 it's torture. Why do I do this to myself.”

“You've already answered that question,” I replied. “You're in an abusive relationship. Would you feel better knowing that many business owners are in the same boat? They've outsourced a task or made concessions to a delinquent account with hope of reducing the stress, but it only made matters worse.”

Who makes up the largest slice of the consumer market? Women. Are you re-positioning your business to capture this market segment?

Women consumers are not a niche market or a trend; it's the future of business. And if you believe that capturing their attention means 'thinking pink', you're caught in the traditional attitude that views women as one large group that can be targeted with a pink version of the product. If you're not rethinking pink, you're missing out.

Let's pretend it's 1450 and you're managing a fledgling book duplicating business. You have a dedicated staff, mostly monks skilled in reading, calligraphy and drawing illustrations. They were not an easy recruitment, considering that most people are illiterate, and they spent their days painstakingly copying text – very fancy text.

One day a visitor drops by and tells you about a new invention called the printing press. It has moveable type that, he claims, will make the current duplicating process obsolete. He explains the new technology – in the 'techie language' of the day! – which you can barely comprehend. You review your book contracts, many which have remained unchanged for years, some for decades! There's no way that new machine will impact your business stability.