Sports Motivation Waning

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities
Post Reply
User avatar
Topic Author
tennisplyr
Posts: 3703
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
Location: Sarasota, FL

Sports Motivation Waning

Post by tennisplyr »

I'm retired and have been playing tennis for 40 years. I used to be very competitive in my match play but the last year or so have noticed that I'm not that motivated to win all of the time. I know that I am getting older and plenty of the guys I play are younger so I get that. Eg, today I played a match and fought hard but it didn't seem to matter if I won or lost. Any ideas on how to get my mojo back?
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
sunnyday
Posts: 1679
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2011 8:48 am

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by sunnyday »

You could join a league or tournaments. Or you could play for money.
I personally to tend to be most competitive against friends. I like being competitive but I also think it's a little ridiculous when middle aged amateurs (especially strangers) get ultra competitive during casual matches.
rgardne70
Posts: 45
Joined: Tue Oct 26, 2010 11:16 am

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by rgardne70 »

My buddy and I play golf and bet $3 per round. Not enough to worry about. But winning, even that small amount, has made us both very competitive. By the way, I am up $3 YTD.
musbane
Posts: 393
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:14 am

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by musbane »

I, too was a competitive player for about 40 years. But my shoulder hasn't let me play at all, at all for some years now.

I am going to have shoulder surgery in about 3 weeks, and if successful, I will be able to play again, in which case, I assure you that I won't give a rat's patootie who wins.

Tennis is a great game and you and I don't have to win. We just have to play well. :sharebeer
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11786
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by cheese_breath »

You're retired. Why do you need to get your mojo back? Relax and have fun. You can participate in tennis and other games for the enjoyment of playing even if you don't win.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
User avatar
White Coat Investor
Posts: 17409
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 8:11 pm
Location: Greatest Snow On Earth

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by White Coat Investor »

I don't care if I win or lose, as long as its really close. That's not exactly true. I really care right up until the point where the game is over. Then I no longer care.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
WhyNotUs
Posts: 2610
Joined: Sun Apr 14, 2013 11:38 am

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by WhyNotUs »

[Medical advice removed by admin LadyGeek]
I own the next hot stock- VTSAX
island
Posts: 1971
Joined: Tue Jul 23, 2013 1:45 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by island »

cheese_breath wrote:You're retired. Why do you need to get your mojo back? Relax and have fun. You can participate in tennis and other games for the enjoyment of playing even if you don't win.
+1

Maybe now that you're retired you're playing more and burned out on same ol' same ol'??
Change it up and try another sport.
Pacific
Posts: 1609
Joined: Tue Mar 06, 2007 7:19 pm
Location: Lost in the middle of the Pacific

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by Pacific »

WhyNotUs wrote:[Medical advice removed by admin LadyGeek]
+1
J295
Posts: 3401
Joined: Sun Jan 01, 2012 10:40 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by J295 »

We are a family of overachievers, including competitive sports at a high level. My best sport was tennis, although I no longer play. I share that only so you'll know my background in reading my comments.

You may want to take a year of embracing this new dynamic and flesh out what it says about you and your orientation to other parts of your life. At this point in your life journey is tennis really something you want to be about about winning? The experience can be about something much more than "winning" .... it is completely your choice on how you frame it.

One orientation we use for our golf games is donating $X for each birdie. You could tie something to aces, or service breaks, or whatever (i.e. X service breaks and I buy my wife or kids or grand kids a surprise treat, or donate $X to a charity, or whatever).

Good for you on your awareness of this changing dynamic. Best regards.
dolphinsaremammals
Posts: 2094
Joined: Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:18 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by dolphinsaremammals »

One thing I dislike about tennis is the occasionally nastiness in terms of competitiveness. I was only happy playing it when I could find someone like myself who wanted to play it for fun.
carolinaman
Posts: 5463
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2011 8:56 am
Location: North Carolina

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by carolinaman »

I have always been super competitive in sports. I always tried to display good sportsmanship but internally would get very frustrated when I lost or did not play well. I have played golf for 50 years and I believe in golf this competitiveness prevented me from playing my best and definitely prevented me from enjoying the game as much as I should. I now shoot as good a score on average as I did 20 years ago although I have lost distance on my shots. I think the reason why is that I am now more relaxed, do not get unduly upset with one shot nor do I let one bad shot or one bad hole ruin my round. In the past one bad hole would likely carryover to ensuing holes. I enjoy the game more, am more relaxed and I suspect I am more pleasant to play with than in the past. OP: it sounds to me as if you are in a good place. Play your best and enjoy the game. That is what it should be about.
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11786
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by cheese_breath »

Is it possible your decreasing mojo might be a good thing in that it may lessen the chances of pushing your aging body to try doing things it’s no longer capable of doing? I’m retired too and like to think I’m still in reasonably good physical condition. But there are things I used to do that I don’t do anymore for fear of aggravating old injuries, and things I still do but not as long or with the same intensity as when I was younger. As we age we need to understand our bodies can’t do everything they used to as good as they used to and pamper them a little, but not to the extent that they deteriorate from inactivity. You just need to find the right balance. I think of my body like an old car. I don’t let it sit in the garage all the time, but I don’t want to overstress the engine and blow a gasket. If I take care of it and don’t drive as fast, it still gets me where I want to go.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
User avatar
cfs
Posts: 4154
Joined: Fri Feb 23, 2007 12:22 am
Location: ~ Mi Propio Camino ~

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by cfs »

Just keep doing it.

Just do it is not just a commercial, just continue with the sport, there will be ups and downs but that is just part of the game. And oh by the way, by 0545 (that is 5:45 AM for the non-military) I was done with my daily LUng distance workout (was it Jack LaLanne who said to take care of your workout early in the morning in that way you don't have to worry about it for the rest of the day?).

Thanks for reading.
~ Member of the Active Retired Force since 2014 ~
User avatar
Jazztonight
Posts: 1339
Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 11:21 pm
Location: Lake Merritt

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by Jazztonight »

Competitive sports, such as tennis, are just that--competitive. It's built into the process. It's no wonder that you're bothered by your waning motivation.

The problem is, there's no real solution that I can think of.

However, I would speculate that Mojo is not the biggest issue. Perhaps it's more about the philosophy of sports and the aging athlete.

If you view this issue through the filter of a Boglehead, then one might ask: Have you reached your number? and What is enough?
"What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Nietzsche
LFKB
Posts: 1264
Joined: Mon Dec 24, 2012 6:06 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by LFKB »

I have used it and found that the representative didn't seem to know anything more than a typical poster would on here. I used them once and then realized I could do it on my own. Might as well try it out though.
User avatar
Topic Author
tennisplyr
Posts: 3703
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
Location: Sarasota, FL

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by tennisplyr »

Thanks all for your comments. I do love the game and it has improved my life immeasurably. I am playing more now socially and for fun than I used to. I guess losing is still less fun than winning but am thankful that I still can compete at a good level.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
User avatar
cheese_breath
Posts: 11786
Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by cheese_breath »

Well, if tennis gets to be too much there's always pickleball. :D
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
User avatar
Topic Author
tennisplyr
Posts: 3703
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
Location: Sarasota, FL

Re: Sports Motivation Waning

Post by tennisplyr »

cheese_breath wrote:Well, if tennis gets to be too much there's always pickleball. :D
Have tried it in Florida, it's kinda cool and not as exhausting :shock:
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀
Post Reply