Entrepreneurship
Jamie O’Brien’s strategies for successful risk-taking
From career changes to fire surfing, the brains behind Red Bull TV's Who is JOB show is no stranger to risk. Learn more with his Red Bull Basement Session.
“I guess I am a pyro of the ocean,” jokes Jamie O’Brien.
In 2015, the professional freesurfer known for jaw-dropping projects pulled off his most audacious feat yet: setting himself on fire and surfing while aflame. But he took his most life-changing gamble several years before, when – after winning events like Pipeline Masters, Pipeline Pro and Curl Pipeline Masters – he gave up a successful competitive career to pursue creative video work.
Today, having completed eight seasons of his video series, Who is JOB, it’s clear that the career move was a success – and his experiences have helped him to understand how to evaluate and address risks of all kinds.
You have to take calculated risks
O’Brien acknowledges that sometimes the most challenging moments come when you’re closest to your goal because you best understand what’s at stake. He approached his surfing-on-fire project with painstaking preparation – as well as a healthy amount of fear.
“I started to get scared, really, as the dream became more of a reality,” he remembers. “And the wave I caught was massive. So when I finally pulled it off, it was like, ‘Wow, this is the highest achievement besides winning a Pipeline Masters.’ It sits hand-in-hand with that kind of result.”
Jamie O'Brien surfs whilst lit on fire, at Teahupoo, Tahiti
© Ben Thouard / Red Bull Content Pool
Big ideas often mean taking chances. But the behind-the-scenes story that O’Brien relates in his Red Bull Basement Session holds insights on how to deal with risk. Here are five key strategies:
1. Be true to yourself
"The reason why I stopped surfing competitively is I always felt like competition didn't bring out the best in me," says O'Brien. "I wanted to make surf videos and share to the world how I see things."
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2. Understand that it may take time to persuade the doubters
In O’Brien’s words, when he decided to leave competition, “My dad, for sure, doubted me right away. It was almost like I was quitting surfing to him. Slowly but surely, he realised that it was the right thing – and so did I.”
3. Brainstorm with others
"I was looking for things to do, so I was like, 'Hey, anybody got ideas?' And I must have gotten thousands of comments," he says. "I was looking through, and this guy said, 'Light yourself on fire'. That one really stuck out to me!"
4. Build a team you can rely on
"Don't look at something and say, 'This is unachievable.' Figure out who would want to be involved, and make sure you have the right team at the end of the day."
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5. Don’t be afraid to take risks – but think them through
“There was so much more involved than just, ‘I’m going to light myself on fire’ – so many things could possibly happen,” admits O’Brien, who underwent intense preparation to address potential problems. “You have to take risks, right? But you have to take calculated risks.”
Jamie O'Brien prepared intensely for his feat of surfing whilst on fire
© Tim McKenna / Red Bull Content Pool
If you're looking for inspiration to drive your own projects, you can check out more firsthand stories like Jamie O'Brien's with Red Bull Basement Sessions.
Want to seize your own chance to realise a big idea? The application deadline for Red Bull Basement is Sunday, October 24, 2021.