Sports Motivation Waning
- tennisplyr
- Posts: 3703
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Sports Motivation Waning
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 😀
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
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.
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
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.
- cheese_breath
- Posts: 11786
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Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
- White Coat Investor
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Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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 |
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Re: Sports Motivation Waning
[Medical advice removed by admin LadyGeek]
I own the next hot stock- VTSAX
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
+1cheese_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.
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.
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
+1WhyNotUs wrote:[Medical advice removed by admin LadyGeek]
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
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.
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Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
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Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
- cheese_breath
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Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
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 ~
- Jazztonight
- Posts: 1339
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- Location: Lake Merritt
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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?
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
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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.
- tennisplyr
- Posts: 3703
- Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
- Location: Sarasota, FL
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
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 😀
- cheese_breath
- Posts: 11786
- Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:08 pm
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
Well, if tennis gets to be too much there's always pickleball.
The surest way to know the future is when it becomes the past.
- tennisplyr
- Posts: 3703
- Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:53 pm
- Location: Sarasota, FL
Re: Sports Motivation Waning
Have tried it in Florida, it's kinda cool and not as exhaustingcheese_breath wrote:Well, if tennis gets to be too much there's always pickleball.
“Those who move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.” -Retired 13 years 😀