Layne Beachley (yes, that’s her real surname) found her happy place at four years of age - on a board in the Manly surf. Now in her early fifties, as she continues to add to her already-enviable legacy, that happy place remains the same.
But while the waves themselves always felt like home, riding them on the world’s stage was nowhere near as smooth, and required an ongoing inner-reckoning.
Luckily, as Layne puts it, “the ocean is a great teacher.”
Competing in her happy place
At 14, Layne competed in her first competitive event and came in dead last. However, rather than discouraging her, this showing inspired her, as did the societal expectation to take a backseat in a male dominated space. The males in that space only further fuelled her fire. No matter how much they pushed her off her board or grabbed her leash, she wasn’t getting out of the water.
At 15, she won the regional and state school scholastic titles, but her first national comp was brutal. The team aspect was unwelcoming, unsafe, and unsupportive. Yet, instead of throwing in the literal and figurative towel, she decided to skip the amateur scene and go pro - even when her high school teachers told her folks to “lock up her surfboard, it’s a distraction”.
They were right. It was a distraction, but a welcome one. Upon turning pro, she set the goal of winning a world title in her first five professional years. She came in second, she came in third, she came in second again - all while dealing with a chronic fatigue diagnosis.
It was all too much, and she was all but done.
Beating the ‘Dream Thief’
That is, until her personal trainer took her aside, looked her in the eye, and asked her to get real: if her ultimate goal was to become world champion, what was it going to take, and what is she giving it right now? Her answers were 100% and 70%.
In the ensuing months, Layne learned that she had become what she now calls a ‘dream thief’ - someone with zero compassion or empathy for herself; someone who pushes everyone else away and thinks they know it all.
So she got out of her own way. She stopped being so cruel to herself. So judgemental and critical. She surrendered.
She admitted that she wasn’t well: that she was in and out of states of despair, depression, and suicidality; that she’d fallen victim to illness, allergy, and injury.
Forward and back
She began to nurture herself. She honoured the vessel that allowed her to do what she did so well. She prioritised rest, diet, nutrition, hydration, and sleep. She started listening to what her body needed, instead of telling it - an important distinction that changed her game forever. She even got into hardcore breathwork and learned to liberate trapped emotional energy.
She did the inner work, uncovering a deep fear of abandonment and rejection born from never being held or nursed as an adopted newborn. One that inhibited her ability to connect, trust…or love.
The result? Her first world title.
But inner change wasn’t a flick of a switch. After her first win, old Layne with those old fears would creep back in. Pressure, expectation and ego took over not only her public, but also her private life. Layne Beachley was now a superstar, one that won six consecutive world titles (and her 7th three years later), but she had become a person she wasn’t proud of.
Learned Authenticity
Layne believes that growth happens in the rear-view mirror. It’s not about changing the past, or devaluing prior brilliance, but looking back and celebrating the good without being defined by the bad. In other words, holding onto what’s applicable, and letting go of what isn’t. That, to Layne, is the way to integration. To authenticity.
Layne now knows that no human being succeeds on their own and that human beings need allies. They need connection. And the only way to grow is through self-knowledge.
She now runs the Awake Academy with her business partner Tess, where she couples lived experience and science to help people revive their energy, reshape their mindset, and realign with their truth. They’ve published a popular book, and fostered a lively community of fellow seekers.
Ironically, it’s Layne’s internal battles, perhaps even more so than her external triumphs, that give meaning to her new vocation.
Layne’s take on a SuperHuman
The thing Layne keeps coming back to when pondering what a SuperHuman means to her, is again, authenticity.
“In a world of deepfakes and fake news and instant gratification, instant judgement, instant ridicule, it’s essentially almost virtually unsafe to be yourself.”
She therefore thinks SuperHumans are…
…super authentic.
…super true to themselves.
…and super real.
That’s who she prides herself on being. And while she doesn’t always get it right, she knows to give herself a bit of grace.
SuperHuman Habits
The lesson Layne learned back in ‘97, she now relearns from the ocean every day - the art of surrender. The water is still where she goes to heal her hurts, process her pains, and celebrate her successes. It’s where she feels a true sense of freedom, acceptance, and flow.
Beyond the ocean, Layne likes to mix it up, but she does have a few fundamental rituals that set her up every day for wellness and longevity.
Every morning, she box-breathes for at least one round and turns inwards for an ‘I am’ mantra - I am happy, I am healthy, and I am abundant.
She brushes her teeth with her non-dominant hand to establish neural pathways between her left and right hemispheres. She has a big glass of water with magnesium powder and some D3K2 drops.
And then, of course, she makes herself a SuperFeast tea starring JING, QI, and Schisandra. When it comes to the herbs, she listens to her body, and at one point moved from JING to SHEN and back again.
While Layne is still very active and surfs (of course) and weight trains, aesthetics are no longer a priority. She’s found the routine that best nurtures and supports her, and her goals are no longer about building muscle or looking a certain way. She only looks to feel strong and happy in her body.
We can’t wait to see where that vessel takes her next.
