RR#135 - Are you stuck in a riptide?
Fighting harder feels right, but it might be exactly what's pulling you under.
Last week, I had a terrifying experience.
I was attempting to surf with my kids when I got caught in a riptide.
At first, I didn’t realize what was happening. I just kept swimming toward the shore, harder and faster, but I wasn’t making any real progress.
No matter how hard I swam, I was being pulled further out to sea.
Confusion quickly turned into fear.
I’ve raced in over a dozen triathlons. I’m a strong swimmer. So why couldn’t I get to shore?
As panic started to creep in, two surfers appeared—one from my right, another swimming out from the left. They towed me out of the riptide, and after what felt like forever (but was really only 10 minutes), I was back on the beach.
That’s when the real lesson began.
The Danger of Not Knowing
The surfers, locals who knew the area well, schooled me and my son on what had just happened.
The beach, widely considered beginner-friendly, has one dangerous spot—a riptide where two people have drowned this year alone.
Even Olympic swimmers can’t power through many riptides. The harder you swim, the more energy you waste, making it harder to stay afloat.
The key?
Stop swimming toward the shore. Swim parallel to it instead.
Once you’re out of the riptide, you can safely make your way back without exhausting yourself.
I didn’t know that. Without the surfers who did, things could have turned out very differently.
The Business Riptide
This isn’t just a PSA for your next beach trip.
It’s also a metaphor for business.
As business owners, we often find ourselves in the same trap I was in: exhausting ourselves doing what we think we should be doing.
We work harder, spend more, push faster, and still feel like we’re being pulled further from our goals.
The problem? We’re stuck in a business riptide.
And just like in the ocean, we’re missing critical information that could save us from burnout—or worse, failure.
The Real Danger of Doing the Wrong Things
The danger in business isn’t in just working hard. It’s working hard on the wrong things entirely.
When you’re overworking, overspending, and not seeing results, it’s tempting to think the answer is to do more. But more of the wrong things won’t get you anywhere.
You’ll burn out. You’ll exhaust your resources. And your business might not survive.
Breaking Free
If you feel stuck—like no matter how hard you try, you’re not making progress—it’s tempting to think the answer is to work harder, push faster, or throw more resources at the problem.
But more effort in the wrong direction only leaves you more exhausted and further from where you want to be.
Instead, try this: pause, step back, and ask yourself these six critical questions.
They’ll help you pinpoint whether you’re caught in a business riptide and what to do about it:
1. What am I working on right now, and how does it directly tie to results?
List the top 3-5 tasks or projects consuming your time and energy.
For each, ask:
What specific outcome am I expecting from this?
Is this outcome measurable (e.g., more revenue, more leads, better retention)?
Have I seen evidence this activity produces results?
Action Step: Eliminate or pause anything without a clear and measurable connection to results.
2. What’s one assumption I’m making that might not be true?
Assumptions can quietly sabotage progress. Challenge them by asking:
Do I believe this is the only way to solve this problem? Why?
Do I have actual data, or am I running on gut instinct?
What would I do differently if this approach wasn’t working?
Action Step: Validate your assumptions by seeking evidence or feedback from someone with experience solving a similar problem.
3. Where am I applying effort where expertise might be more effective?
Ask yourself:
Am I trying to “muscle through” a problem instead of finding help?
What area of my business feels hardest right now (e.g., marketing, sales, operations)?
Is there someone who has already solved this problem I can learn from?
Action Step: Identify one area where you could delegate, outsource, or seek mentorship to reduce the strain on yourself.
4. Am I measuring the right things?
Evaluate your metrics:
Are you focused on outcomes that matter (e.g., profit, CAC, lifetime value) or vanity metrics (e.g., social media followers)?
Are you consistently tracking the data that directly impacts growth?
Action Step: Choose one or two key metrics that truly reflect progress and build a simple system to track them weekly.
5. Is fear driving my decisions?
Fear often keeps us stuck. Reflect on:
Am I holding onto unprofitable clients or projects out of fear of losing revenue?
Am I avoiding change because it feels risky or uncertain?
What would I do if I wasn’t afraid of failing?
Action Step: Write down the worst-case scenario of making a change. Then ask yourself: is it really as bad as I imagine?
6. Who do I trust to give me clarity?
Sometimes, the best move is asking for help. Ask yourself:
Do I have someone in my network or industry who has already solved this problem?
When was the last time I asked for feedback on my business?
Have I invested in mentorship, peer groups, or advisors who can challenge my thinking?
Action Step: Identify one person this week who could offer a fresh perspective and reach out for their advice or guidance.
The Bottom Line
Breaking free from a business riptide doesn’t mean working harder or faster. It means changing your approach.
Like swimming parallel to the shore, it’s about adjusting your strategy to escape the pull and make meaningful progress again.
By asking these questions and taking a step back, you can shift your energy from exhausting, ineffective efforts to focused actions that actually move the needle.
Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do isn’t more—it’s different.
Hope this helps someone shift direction and start making progress again.
Adios,
Ray
P.S. -
If you’re a B2B business doing $5M+ a year in revenue, and more sales is the problem you’re trying to solve, ask me about our 360º Sales Audit that identifies your top bottlenecks and gives you a tactical plan on how to break through each.
