Reflections on If You Want To Get Better At Something Finding Joy in Striving November 20, 2025

Recently, after a meeting at the CCI here at Midd, I was introduced to a website called The Growth Equation. The blog is written by Steve Magness and Brad Stulberg, two experts in performance and sports psych. In an article called If You Want To Get Better, Get Comfortable Saying, I found a quote that I really liked: “If you think accomplishing something will suddenly change your inner life, you are in for a rude awakening. You never arrive. Wherever you are, the goalpost is 10 yards downfield. It is important to let go of illusions about reults. Dig your feet where you are. Learn to find joy and meaning in the process.” We play sports because we love to do so. We want to see where our limits are and that’s exciting. Being able to find joy in the daily pursuit of process goals is a gratifying experience and makes sports incredibly fun. In the end, results, rankings, and comparisons to your peers are really just distractions from building one’s skills and game.
As a I step on court each day, I continually remind myself that my number one goal when I practice is to enjoy hitting the tennis ball. I also remind myself of my process goals because these goals will help me to achieve my long-term goals. I find so much joy in hitting the tennis ball and striving to improve upon my process goals. In this way, I let go of results and what I can’t control. Let the unknown be unknown.