“You’re too old to learn to surf well” — that’s what my surfing friends with decades of experience tell me.

Luckily for me, I’m also too stubborn to listen.

I’ve been learning to surf for about three years now and despite my (apparently far too advanced) age, I have been improving.

Feeling confident, I recently switched to a more advanced board and immediately struggled. For weeks I couldn’t catch a single wave.

I pushed myself to paddle harder and harder trying to make progress.

That’s when I no...