Sink or Swim : Do Something Every Day That Scares You

Boom. Splash. Chomp.

Does anyone remember that song "Everyone’s Free to Wear Sunscreen" by Sun Tan? Well, I do. And every day, I scare the hell out of myself by working in an environment that isn’t exactly safe.

I’ve spent most of my life underwater. I’m 43 now, and out of those 43 spins around the sun, I’ve been professionally diving for 25 years and surfing for 30. And I love it.

I started in the Royal Australian Navy as a Clearance Diver, and now I spend practically every day working on and under the waters of Victoria. I consider myself one lucky duck to be doing what I love. The only downside? I’m totally terrified of SHARKS.

Every time I jump into the sea—from a boat or the beach—I can't help but think, this could be it. This time, one of them will finally find me. (Because, of course, they’re all out there looking for me, right?) And then… boom. Splash. Chomp. Crack. Red. Gurgle. Bubble, bubble, bubble… pop.

So, after all these years—25 years of diving, 30 years of surfing—why do I still fear sharks so much? The answer? Well, I’ll get to that.

I also run a small business called Aegir Divers. Weird name? Yeah, I think so too, but I liked it when I started it 10 years ago. My grandfather was from Norway, his name was Anker (Anchor), and that’s why I went with a strange Norse name. And that’s also why my hair is brown, but my moustache is red. It’s a whole thing.

But weren’t we talking about sharks?

No. We’re talking about things that scare me. And running Aegir Divers? Yeah, that scares me too. Every. Damn. Day.

Running a small business is a bit like swimming with sharks. You’re not the only one doing it, but that doesn’t mean you’re not still terrified of what might happen if things go wrong and your hard work gets swallowed whole (other than your life, of course).

Why the hell do I do this?

Ten years of Aegir Divers has been one hell of a ride. Massive highs. Gut-wrenching lows. And when you’re low, and those dark, shark-shaped thoughts start circling... “Why the hell do you do this?”

The answer is simple: Because I love it. And maybe love outweighs fear? Maybe the only way to find out what you're made of is to put yourself in a place where you don’t feel safe, or confident. Sink or swim.

‘Do something every day that scares you.’ Because if you’re not scared, you’re not swimming. And if you’re not swimming, you’re not living. Action is the antidote to fear. If you wait for the shadows to come and pull you under, then aren’t you just choosing to sink? But no matter how far you’ve got to swim, one day you’ll reach the shore, with waves to surf. And when I do, no shark will catch me then.