Select the right equipment when you try to teach yourself how to surf. This means selecting a board that is right for your skill level and body size. In addition, you will need to buy a leash, so you that won't lose your board in the water and some wax, so your feet won't slip. You also need a wetsuit, so you won't get too cold waiting for the perfect wave to come along.
Pick a location where the waves break closely to shore, and the water isn't too deep. You also may want to pick a day where the waves aren't too big, and the water isn't too choppy. Choose an area that isn't crowded with other surfers.
Push your board out into the water until you are waist-deep, just beyond where the waves are breaking on shore. Sit up on your board and practice riding the waves into the shore without standing up. Do this until you feel comfortable with the way your board handles, and how your body affects its movement.
Practice how to maneuver your board around the waves as you teach yourself to surf. This means knowing how to duckdive, which is lowering the front of your board, along with your head, to go underneath a wave as it passes. In addition, you will need to practice spinning your board to face the shore as the right wave approaches.
Stand up. This may sound simple, but it's actually the hardest part of learning how to surf. The trick is to stand and place both your feet on the board at the same time, in the right position, so that you will not lose your balance and fall into the water.
Repeat the standing procedure over and over until you can do it without falling over. Once you have mastered your balance, you can start to ride the waves and learn how to steer the surfboard by shifting your balance.