Lessons Learned Underwater

I’ve learned some of my most important business lessons underwater.

Years ago, I was scuba diving in the Caribbean with a dive buddy. Visibility was decent, the dive was calm—and then we found ourselves very close to a shark.

It wasn’t the biggest shark I’ve ever seen.
But it was big enough.

I signaled to my dive buddy to stop moving. I stayed still, focused on slowing my breathing, and watched as the shark circled us, moved closer, and then disappeared into the dark water—never to be seen again.

When I finally started breathing normally, I turned to my dive buddy.

He was gone.

The moment he saw the shark, he panicked, shot straight to the surface, and got out of the water.

We had entered the water together.
But when things got uncomfortable, I was on my own.

That dive stuck with me—and not just because of the shark.

Here are a few business lessons I took from it:

1. Choose partners who actually have your back
You can’t control everything that happens, but you can control who you get in the water with. Pressure doesn’t change people—it reveals them.

2. Panic makes situations worse
Quick, emotional reactions often increase risk. Calm, deliberate behavior usually creates more options.

3. Stillness can be a strategy
Not every threat requires immediate action. Sometimes the smartest move is to pause, observe, and let things pass.

4. Inspect your equipment before you start
In diving, you check your gear on the boat—because once you’re underwater, it’s too late.
In business, this means roles, incentives, contracts, assumptions, and expectations. Don’t discover failures mid-dive.

5. You can’t control the ocean—only your preparation and your partners
Risk is part of the deal. The difference between risk and danger is preparation, discipline, and trust.

Business, like diving, isn’t about avoiding uncertainty.
It’s about staying calm when it shows up—and knowing who won’t disappear when the water gets dark.