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The Code: The Power of "I Will"
How to convert the power of “I Will” into a life-changing mantra
The twelve stories in this book, taken from Shaun Tomson’s own life experiences in and out of the surfing world, offer the simple message—I Will—as a model to face life’s challenges and help you achieve your goals. All you need is to be encouraged to find your voice and commit yourself to positive values. The stories resonate with positivity and hope for the future, and are infused with the belief that even in the darkest time, light shines ahead to show you the way forward.
The twelve stories in this book, taken from Shaun Tomson’s own life experiences in and out of the surfing world, offer the simple message—I Will—as a model to face life’s challenges and help you achieve your goals. All you need is to be encouraged to find your voice and commit yourself to positive values. The stories resonate with positivity and hope for the future, and are infused with the belief that even in the darkest time, light shines ahead to show you the way forward.
- GenresNonfictionSelf Help
136 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2013
41 people are currently reading
251 people want to read
About the author
Shaun Tomson
10 books9 followersShaun Tomson was the 1977 World Champion on the International World Surfing Tour. A native of South Africa, he spent fourteen years on the Tour (1976-1989), nine of which in the top six. With twelve contest wins, including a record setting six year winning streak in the prestigious Gunston 500 in Durban, South Africa, he was considered one of the world's finest surfers.
He has been featured in more than forty surf videos, was profiled in an Outdoor Life Network (OLN) documentary series in 1998, and starred as a surf journalist in the major motion picture from TriStar/Sony Pictures 'In Gods Hands' in 1998.
Additional honors include nine appearances on the covers of Surfer and Surfing magazines, as well as being an inductee to the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame. He has most recently been listed as one of the 25 most influential surfers of the century by Surfer magazine(1999) and as one of the 16 greatest surfers of all time by Surfing magazine in 2004.
He is currently Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Surfrider Foundation and owns the apparel company Solitude in Santa Barbara, California. He lives with his wife, Carla, in Montecito, California and continues to travel the world, reaching out to surfers of all generations, with his innovative surfing and world renowned tube-riding style.
He has been featured in more than forty surf videos, was profiled in an Outdoor Life Network (OLN) documentary series in 1998, and starred as a surf journalist in the major motion picture from TriStar/Sony Pictures 'In Gods Hands' in 1998.
Additional honors include nine appearances on the covers of Surfer and Surfing magazines, as well as being an inductee to the Huntington Beach Surfing Walk of Fame. He has most recently been listed as one of the 25 most influential surfers of the century by Surfer magazine(1999) and as one of the 16 greatest surfers of all time by Surfing magazine in 2004.
He is currently Chairman of the Advisory Board for The Surfrider Foundation and owns the apparel company Solitude in Santa Barbara, California. He lives with his wife, Carla, in Montecito, California and continues to travel the world, reaching out to surfers of all generations, with his innovative surfing and world renowned tube-riding style.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
February 24, 2023
A short and sweet book that might not be super memorable, but that is still entertaining for while it lasts, filled with little bits of knowledge and a generally uplifting tone.
The Code is written by former surf world champion Shaun Tomson, who shares lessons he learned through surfing. It's not targeted at surfers specifically, as he explains the lingo in great detail, which makes this accessible to more people, while I personally (as someone who is familiar with the sport) would have liked a bit more in depth stuff.
I think this was targeted at teens? I was a bit confused at to whom this book is for – first of all, it's seemingly not targeted at surfers specifically, as he explains the lingo in great detail, which makes this accessible to more people, while I personally (as someone who is familiar with the sport) would have liked a bit more in depth stuff. Then there's the tone, which felt extremely simple and made this whole thing feel a bit as if you were a teen whom an adult spoke to about what it's like to be grown up.
A lot of it was centred around the death of his son. In 2006, his son Mathew died at the age of fifteen in South Africa while playing a dangerous game called the "choking game". It's a tragic story, but in here it's framed as a setback that can be processed in a way that can provide strength and gratefulness for what you have. It's clearly a self-help book that is meant to fill you up with positive affirmations and leave you with the motivation to live a powerful life. It's less cheesy than a lot of other stuff of similar kind I've read before, but particularly due to the tone I couldn't quite get that reinforcement from it.
The Code is written by former surf world champion Shaun Tomson, who shares lessons he learned through surfing. It's not targeted at surfers specifically, as he explains the lingo in great detail, which makes this accessible to more people, while I personally (as someone who is familiar with the sport) would have liked a bit more in depth stuff.
I think this was targeted at teens? I was a bit confused at to whom this book is for – first of all, it's seemingly not targeted at surfers specifically, as he explains the lingo in great detail, which makes this accessible to more people, while I personally (as someone who is familiar with the sport) would have liked a bit more in depth stuff. Then there's the tone, which felt extremely simple and made this whole thing feel a bit as if you were a teen whom an adult spoke to about what it's like to be grown up.
A lot of it was centred around the death of his son. In 2006, his son Mathew died at the age of fifteen in South Africa while playing a dangerous game called the "choking game". It's a tragic story, but in here it's framed as a setback that can be processed in a way that can provide strength and gratefulness for what you have. It's clearly a self-help book that is meant to fill you up with positive affirmations and leave you with the motivation to live a powerful life. It's less cheesy than a lot of other stuff of similar kind I've read before, but particularly due to the tone I couldn't quite get that reinforcement from it.
March 23, 2024
A beautifully written book by World Class Surfing Champion Shaun Tomson. He gives his readers a philosophy of life that can be applied to anyone’s journey. This book should be required reading for our planet!!! 😊🙌🏄🏼♂️
April 30, 2022
Started with no knowledge of surfing, now I have a little.
May 5, 2021
A good book that shows how the motivation behind "I will" can change the way you interact and look at the world around you. 12 lessons all starting with "I will" and centered around a professional surfer's life can lead the reader to question what their own "I Will's" will be.
Overall a thoughtful, quick read.
Overall a thoughtful, quick read.
February 25, 2022
This took 2 people to write it?! This is a very quick read (the font has to be size 14 or something in order to make the book as long as it is), but it is roll-eye-worthy. Maybe this book is geared towards teens, and I looked past it. I would not have read this book had it not been free and very short.
September 4, 2023
Easy read with life lessons
Loved it. It was an easy read with lots of lessons that are entrenched through out the book. I love the activity at the end and have made my very own I will list and will continue to do so in the future
Loved it. It was an easy read with lots of lessons that are entrenched through out the book. I love the activity at the end and have made my very own I will list and will continue to do so in the future
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November 25, 2021Life code for everyone. Touching process for kids and adults alike
September 11, 2022
An easy read, inspiring, and touching for kids and adults alike. I read the book because Shaun Tomson was raised in South Africa, and I find surfers and their lifestyles interesting.
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January 20, 2024very inspirational
July 24, 2024
12 "I will ..." statements.
January 13, 2025
phenomenal life lessons explained in such a short amount of words. profound and moving.
October 11, 2015
The Code by Shaun Tomson is a book about the Author's life and how surfing is a big part of his life. Shaun's message is that surfing is a sport/hobby that has grown very complex over time. We understand this message through his experiences in popular surf spots like Rincon and the North Shore of Oahu. An important quote is "I will" which is actually said throughout the book many times. It is an important quote because the meaning behind it is commitment, which is a very important strength to have in the surfing world. Another important quote on page 122 is "Surfing is all about uncertainty. That feeling of taking a wrist, that leap of faith every time I jump into the ocean." This again is important because it goes more in depth about what surfers have to commit to.
I think that this book is a very interesting book. I grew up around surfing so this book really appealed to me because it is in my interest focus. It also gave me a better understanding of the lineup out in the water and how it affects how other surfers think. I can agree with many of the author’s views about surfing as well. Whenever Shaun faced hard time in his life, going out surfing would assuage the pain he was dealing with and I can agree with him on that because whenever I surf, many bad things leave my mind because I am more focused on doing what I love to do.
Although this book was a fast read, it was worth my time because it talked about what I am around a lot. The last page of the book left me with the feeling to stick with your passion. As humans, we should always stick to what we love to do because it keeps us in a more positive mindset and not everyone can do what you can do.
I think that this book is a very interesting book. I grew up around surfing so this book really appealed to me because it is in my interest focus. It also gave me a better understanding of the lineup out in the water and how it affects how other surfers think. I can agree with many of the author’s views about surfing as well. Whenever Shaun faced hard time in his life, going out surfing would assuage the pain he was dealing with and I can agree with him on that because whenever I surf, many bad things leave my mind because I am more focused on doing what I love to do.
Although this book was a fast read, it was worth my time because it talked about what I am around a lot. The last page of the book left me with the feeling to stick with your passion. As humans, we should always stick to what we love to do because it keeps us in a more positive mindset and not everyone can do what you can do.
March 21, 2022
I read this book because it was the selection for the Common Reader at Missouri State University, an initiative that brings together students, faculty, staff, and peripheral members of the university community each year to read a book and participate in discussions, programs, and activities associated with the book. The Code was also selected for the university's alumni book club, for which I serve as a moderator.
Tomson's book could be dismissed as a self-helper designed to promote confidence and empowerment. It's more than that though. Tomson uses his experiences as a world-champion surfer to offer advice on how to live by a "code" of conduct that leads to a deep sense of fulfillment. There are plenty of moral lessons along the way and examples of overcoming adversity to achieve long-term goals and objectives, although not necessarily in the material sense.
Tomson organizes the book into chapter headings all beginning with the phrase "I will" that ultimately form a type of creed, and he encourages readers to take a self-assessment and formulate their own list of directives. He even includes a section at the end of the book with numbered blank lines where readers can write their own list of a dozen "I will" statements. The book is designed for a broad audience, but I think it is written more for young readers, perhaps high school or even middle school students. At 127 pages, it is a book that doesn't require a great commitment of time but delivers a positive message that will inspire readers who take it seriously.
Tomson's book could be dismissed as a self-helper designed to promote confidence and empowerment. It's more than that though. Tomson uses his experiences as a world-champion surfer to offer advice on how to live by a "code" of conduct that leads to a deep sense of fulfillment. There are plenty of moral lessons along the way and examples of overcoming adversity to achieve long-term goals and objectives, although not necessarily in the material sense.
Tomson organizes the book into chapter headings all beginning with the phrase "I will" that ultimately form a type of creed, and he encourages readers to take a self-assessment and formulate their own list of directives. He even includes a section at the end of the book with numbered blank lines where readers can write their own list of a dozen "I will" statements. The book is designed for a broad audience, but I think it is written more for young readers, perhaps high school or even middle school students. At 127 pages, it is a book that doesn't require a great commitment of time but delivers a positive message that will inspire readers who take it seriously.
January 24, 2020
I will be myself. I will heal. I will create. Those are some of the titles of chapters in this book. This book is a nonfiction autobiography told in the first person view. The man that the story is about has been a world surfing champion, and one of the best 16 surfers of all time. This story is about a man who wanted to visit Hawaii in the 2000's because he wanted to learn how to surf. He thought he could meet some fun guys, and go surfing with them. That isn't what happened. He met some people that were really good surfers, but not really good people. He found out that they all did drugs. The good thing about them though, they didn't pressure him to do drugs. Also something ironic, later in the book he finds out that one of those surfers died from overdosing on drugs. This is a big life lesson that everyone could use. People that would like this book are people that like down to life books, and love hearing stories.
February 19, 2025
I've always liked Shaun Tomson from when I got into surfing in the 70s. The one thing about him is that he's classy. Always the "gentleman surfer" and he had the amazing looks to boot.
His son's passing away was something that was a bit heartbreaking to read since I've got a kid the same age. I remember reading about it when it happened and was miffed as to what exactly took place.
This book was written for the understanding of non-surfers which spelled out everything in a clear and easy to understand way, but it'd be nice to have one just for surfers who already understand all the lingo and the deeper nuances of surfing so he could get much deeper with what he's conveying in this book.
His son's passing away was something that was a bit heartbreaking to read since I've got a kid the same age. I remember reading about it when it happened and was miffed as to what exactly took place.
This book was written for the understanding of non-surfers which spelled out everything in a clear and easy to understand way, but it'd be nice to have one just for surfers who already understand all the lingo and the deeper nuances of surfing so he could get much deeper with what he's conveying in this book.
March 25, 2020
A friend lent me this book, I really was wary of it to begin with. I'm not a surfer, and I don't need a self help book, those were the thoughts going through my mind when she handed it to me. But I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this. It was a simple, easy read; easily accomplished in one sitting. But the message that Tomson delivers, one of hope, empowerment, and the power of your own way of thinking was brilliant. It left me feeling empowered, inspired, and like I have the will power to accomplish anything that I put my mind to.
February 23, 2015
The book The Code written by Shaun Tomson is a book that will suck you into it. This book has chills, thrills and even adventure. This book has excitement, bravery and surf. This book will keep you saying,"Wait no, I'm getting to the good part," all the way through. I like this book because I love to surf and this book is about surfing the North Shore. I recommend this to people who like to surf and want an adventure.
February 15, 2020
While I struggled with some of the Surfing terminology, I still received and loved the overarching message the book delivers. Simply a story of hope, determination, resolve, perseverence, gratitude, "live and let live"...
Told with incredible creativity and such gentleness, it soothes the spirit. Author's beautiful persona shines throughout the book. Loved it.
Told with incredible creativity and such gentleness, it soothes the spirit. Author's beautiful persona shines throughout the book. Loved it.
March 26, 2014
He is an inspiring speaker and author, who tells the story of is heart warming/breaking life.
June 26, 2014
I will read this book again.
February 2, 2020
Read this for work. Super quick read. It was fine but pretty simple. Very focused on surfing but the ideas translate fairly well to other situations.
July 25, 2020
So uplifting and positive.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews