When you’re going it alone and laboring on a perfect surfboard before the wave comes, it’s lonely.
“Soon”, you tell yourself. You imagine the glory and ease of cruising that wave when it comes. You won’t be all alone struggling to convince others to join you on the water.
When it comes you feel a little worried and focused on who else might is riding it. Suddenly you wish you were lonely out on the water again. All these latecomers. What if they fly right by you, even though you were out there way ahead of them?
In both cases the solution is inward. Be more selfish. Do it for you. Take joy in it because you love it. Forget being alone or in a crowd, ahead or behind. Just surf.