In 2014 I wrote about amateur vs pro and a big difference being a schedule and sticking to it. It is a big difference. You can read about that here.
I was listening to The Bomb Hole podcast with Shane Charlebois and he was reeling off some insights that have stuck with me.
One of them was the difference he has seen between Amateurs and Professionals.
Amateurs think it’s all about winning. Everything they do is focused on winning. Everything. Sometimes to the detriment of themselves and their well-being.
They want that win so bad they’re willing to sacrifice almost anything to get that win. In my experience, it sometimes gets harder to get that win because you’re trying too hard. So you’re tense, you’re stressed and you’re so out of the flow you’re either going to win or wreck or not do well because you’re so off form.
And then you’ll be even more annoyed with yourself than you might have been and done worse than if you’d been relaxed.
Pro’s know it’s about staying in the game as long as possible. Think about that for a sec. Professionals think about being in the game as long as possible.
This is long term vs short term thinking. The pros are doing everything they can to be on form as long as possible because they know it could end at any time.
Great examples are Kelly Slater and Tony Hawk. These two exemplify professionalism. They were in the game for so long and they perform so well they are legends. Tony Hawk can still do things on a skateboard that defies both his age and gravity.
There are a lot more examples if you look for them. Kimi Raikkonen is a great example. Still fast. Still hungry and still driving at the highest level of motorsport, Formula 1.
So, think about this. Are you being an amateur or a professional?
How are you handling yourself? Are you thinking short term vs long?
Think about it. Write down what a professional might be doing vs an amateur in what you do and then implement those habits.
This is a mindset tweak that could change the trajectory of your life right now.
Have a great week and see you on the pro tour soon.
Glenn from Spike.