Over the past few years, I’ve grown to truly discover what makes me happy and have been setting goals and chasing dreams all related to disc sports. However, along the way, I’ve had realizations related to my passion, some of which are related to how I feel after I return home from a competition, how I’ve changed based on the people I’ve met in my travels and how being in the news and media for what I’ve accomplished has affected my relationships (short answer – it hasn’t).
But one of the biggest learning points I’ve had over the past few years is this:
It’s not so much about what you’re doing. What matters more is how and why you do it.
What I mean by this is that not everyone will be a pro hockey player or a financial magnate making millions of dollars every year. Not everyone will choose a career or passion that will impact the world as much as someone like Bill Gates or Mother Theresa. Not everyone will do what is popular.
But none of that really matters anyway.
What matters is that you do what you love and what makes you happy. What matters is how and why you’re doing it, not what you’re doing.
The main concept for this came from watching the movie Calvin Marshall on Netflix. Basically the movie is about a college kid who tries out for the baseball team but is cut every year. He is persistent and wins the coach over with his pure heart and love of the game. He also helps coach and plays on a fun baseball team with a family friend, and the kids on that team look up to him and think he’s a great baseball player.
What really struck me about Calvin’s character in the movie is that to him it didn’t matter if he was the best or not – what mattered is that he played ball. For myself, I put so much pressure on myself because I have very high expectations, but with good reason.
In the past year, I’ve set 5 World Records, won 3 World Championships, was flown to China and Mexico (x2) and experienced more than I ever dreamt I would.
But, even if I hadn’t achieved all I have, I should still be doing what I do because deep down, I truly love it. What I’ve learned from those close to me, who have had the patience to put up with me despite my selfish, somewhat isolating ways, is that how I do it matters more than what I do. If I focus on the how and the why, then the rest will fall into place.