Finding Meaning in Monotony
Katie Ledecky is one of the best distance swimmers in the world. At only the age of 16, she received her first gold medal in the 800m freestyle, and has since went on to win more medals, solidifying herself at the top of women’s swimming in several different events. This week she just punched her ticket to the Olympics in Paris, and when interviewed about her future as a swimmer, she indicated that she has no desire to stop competing. But what stuck out to me was the reason why. Ledecky shared that she doesn’t tire of the process of training, that she enjoys the monotony of preparing for events. Her sister even commented that she thinks Ledecky likes practicing more than competing.
Oftentimes, the top performers in any area have clarity like that. They don’t tire of the monotony that comes with practicing your craft. Former head coach Bill Belichick has said the same thing about summer training camp, because the process, not the championship, is often just as enjoyable. It’s one of the reasons you hear high school coaches say cheesy quotes like, “this doesn’t just apply in sports, this applies in life!” There are so many things that athletics teaches us about discipline, teamwork, and loving the process of achieving something important. The result is special, but whatever you are doing, whether it is an electrician wiring a home or a writer finishing a book, the process is special too.
When it comes to our career, this is why it’s important to choose a job that we can enjoy that process. I appreciate the thoughts of psychologist Gad Saad on this matter: “I do not recommend that people choose their professions in response to market conditions; that is not a good prescription for long-term happiness. The proper fit is between you and your chosen profession, not between you and hot job opportunities. Choosing a job that is the best for you will increase your chances for long-term happiness. Choosing a job that is in demand but is a bad fit makes it much more likely that you will experience an existential midlife crisis.*”
I also understand that it’s a privilege to work a job that you love. At some point, most of us will end up working jobs that are primarily meant to provide an income, not something we’re 100% passionate about. That being said, I think Saad’s thoughts still apply, because if you are able to find a profession that is a proper fit for you, we should hold on to it with all we can. We should learn to love the process. And even if something we’re pursuing is not our job, we can still learn to love the discipline of getting there. When we do, we can look back on it like Ledecky and say we found meaning in the monotony.
*Quote from The Saad Truth About Happiness by Gad Saad
