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I was recently reading an article written by @ecohive about how consistency is better than motivation in the long run. Click on his name to be taken to his article. It is true that being consistent in something it a key to getting it done but also in getting it done well.
"I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." -Bruce LeeConsistency and repetition bring mastery. However, how do you prove you have mastered something? Why are you doing it? For myself as a Pharmacist it means a regular paycheque which has allowed me to sustain a household for my wife and children. For @ecohive my guess is it running a successful business which is helping to keep the local environment free from a glut of unrecycled plastics. However, for many people they seek to become the best at a performance art.
Showcasing your hard work
For people like myself consistency will get things done but I'm unlikely to ever be more than mediocre. Other people strive to do more. They are not only consistent but they are also motivated and talented. When you put all three of those things together, that is when the magic happens. A talented musician who is motivated to make something beautiful, talented with music and consistent in practicing and honing his art? Prepare to be amazed!
There is a reason why people fill stadiums to watch someone truly talented perform. It shows you just what hard work, dedication and skill can do. Entertaining for those who arrive as spectators for sure but also rewarding for the performer also. It is tangible proof that those hours of practice and hard work paid off. It is proof that they are at the pinnacle of their art, or at the very least, among the best.
But guess what?
Lots of people like to showcase their hard work.
Craftsman? Absolutely they want people to see their handiwork. Artisans of all sorts whether it be music, art, baking or even silly people tricks like contact juggling or burping out the alphabet. Watching someone perform something out of the ordinary is rewarding for the viewer and for the performer. .... and marketers have found out a way to turn that relationship into big piles of money.
Professional Sports
Athletes are no different from everyone else. Those with motivation, hard work/consistency and talent end up being very good at what they do. It is natural to want to know how well they compare to others. Doesn't matter what it is. A distance runner will want to see how well he competes with other distance runners. Archers will want to compete with other archers. Football players will want to compete with other football players. With individual sports the spectators gets to see just how far people can go. How good individuals can get. Quite entertaining.
But the real money is with team sports.
Canada is big on hockey. United States is big on baseball. I can almost bet that Brazil is big on football/soccer. All of those are team sports. They can't be played by only one person it is a team and marketers link that team to a city (or country) and then everyone can be part of the game.
When the Vancouver Canucks are playing in the finals it is something to behold. Sure the game can be interesting but that isn't the true marvel. It is seeing an entire city come together to show pride and spirit. Everyone is united, people cheer, people get caught up in the energy of being something greater than themself, people dream about victory...even if they aren't the athletes involved they are part of the group. Included. That's powerful
People want to find ways to be connected. Sure they want to go to the stadium if they have lots of money and free time. If they don't? Watch from the local bar. Wear a jersey, wave a flag or other merchandise, honk your horn after every goal, host a party at your house and invite friends. The energy is infectious and people want to be part of that. Does it cost extra money for beer at the pub? Extra snacks for a home party? Cash spend on trinkets that you won't look at after the playoffs? Sure. Is it money that is wasted? Absolutely.
..... Or is it?
People often lead fairly monotonous lives. Isn't a few dollars spent to be spent for dreaming of something bigger or a victory with your city worth it? It may not be a great long term decision but it is certainly a good short term one. To this day I remember where I was on Game 7 of the Stanley Cup final. I can remember every shop in town closing early. I can remember the energy in the town and the comraderie between people there. If a memory lasts for over 30 years....it's worth a little indulgent purchase.
The Marketing
Now professional players are paid a lot of money. Some people may rightly argue that there are way more useful ways to spend a few million dollars than giving it to a hockey player, a soccer player, a baseball player or whatever. I would say it is more than that. What price do you put on pride in your city? What price do you put on people having a reason to spend an evening out with friends and spending extra money at the bar? The trickle down effect of sports teams is very real for the community as a whole.
How about international competition? Vancouver paid a huge amount of money to host the Winter Olympics a while back. There were many who complained that the province didn't have the money and that it was a big waste of taxpayers cash.
But...
For the duration of the games there was energy in the air and people were united. How valuable is unity in the town, province and even country? During the games we have huge numbers of visitors who spend large sums on hotels, restaurants, bars, souvenirs, and tours of the town.
But it also sends a message to the world that we are a good place to visit. Visitors return home with stories and others may want to visit later encouraging more money into the economy. Even if your country doesn't host the games, the athletes themselves are representatives of their country. They carry the pride of their people along with them and give their country something to cheer for. More than that it is a way for other nations to see and hear of other nations. If I am watching marathon runners I may cheer for the Canadian but I'll know they are outclassed by the Kenyans and other African nations. I may know nothing about those nations other than wow, they can run but still...better that than they be nameless unknowns.
Something to strive for
If I was to be honest with myself, I care little for sports and spectacles. I dislike large crowds and noisy events. I don't actively follow that scene at all. But... I'm glad they exist. A way for athletes to show off their skills. A goal for children to pursue excellence and become the best at something. A way for cities and countries to unite together under a single banner. A way for an individual to showcase their country as something shining and beautiful. Or perhaps I've just been addled by all the hype, merchandising and propaganda. Feel free to leave me a comment and as always thanks for reading down this far.
As a side note, I accidentally erased the entire article because of a keyboard glitch. I had cut and pasted into ChatGPT to proofread, then cut and paste back but the paragraph structure got all messed up. My apologies if I goofed when trying to recreate the proper paragraph spacing
I agree with you that when motivation, talent, and consistency come together, magic happens.
I like your analogy and how you further explained my post about consistency. You have showed that this is not just personal growth but can also be achieved collectively as a team.