HAPPINESS versus JOY

 

In your swimming are you looking for happiness or are you searching for joy. Think about that for a second.  You may ask yourself, What is the difference.  Happiness is defined as the state of being happy.  Happiness is an emotion.  Happiness in swimming often is result oriented.  If I win I will be happy and if I don't win I won't be happy.  Does this sound like anyone you know?  The state of being happy in swimming demands on a certain outcome and as all athletes especially swimmers know that result may 

not always happens.  In fact if you look at that scoreboard enough you will be let down more often than not which will make you unhappy.  Its like being on a rollercoaster you are always chasing that feeling with all of it's ups and downs, the twists and turns, a never ending cycle that you are always chasing.  We need to find something that is more constant, another state of being. 

Joy on the other hand is a state of being, a feeling of great pleasure.  Joy is a constant and it is not result oriented.  The joy comes from the process of enjoying what you are doing.  Don't make the day to day a chore.  Joy doesn't depend on a outcome of an event.  Joy gets you off that emotional rollercoaster   

and puts you into a constant state of pleasure, its a lifestyle.

As we have talked before it's the day to day process of this sport that will create memories long after the races are forgotten.