100 Ways To Motivate Yourself, Third Edition

45. Put on your game face

Most people who play a lot of golf or tennis work much harder at their games than they do at work. All people work harder at play than they do at work, because there’s no resistance. Golfers are working harder on the golf course than they are at their professions. They don’t always know this (although their spouses usually do) because it doesn’t feel like work—it feels like fun. They bring more energy, innovation, and zest to what they’re doing out on the course because it’s a game. They also bring an ongoing commitment to increasing their skills. Everyone is interested in getting better at the games they play.

As for the effect of games on energy, consider a bunch of guys playing poker all night. Because poker is a ...