I spent a lot of time skateboarding when I was younger (well, when I say younger, I probably stopped stepping up to drop-in in my mid Forties lol.) 

Total waste of time. But what a great way to waste it. Couldn’t be happier scraping away on some edge or ledge. Trying over and over and over to master some piece of the built environment never intended for the abuse I would focus on it. 

Watch any of the rough cut video takes and if you’ve ever wondered what perseverance actually looks like - and physically feels like - there’s your example. 

Never occurred to me there was any point to it other than to skate, then I caught an ad in Skateboard! magazine with the line “why be a mindless vandal when you could be a vandal with a purpose” (which I think was for Deathbox. Or SS20. Skateboard co’s. Full style.)

My purpose was to just keep trying. Magic. Didn’t need to succeed and that wasn’t the point. The purpose was to carry on enjoying the return on the energy. 

What falling over (a lot) probably bashed into me was if you don’t succeed, then don’t try. It’ll only spoil what you like doing. 

Stopping trying to force the success thing keeps it fun to carry on. It doesn’t stop you being determined to improve. But it makes you less of an arsehole.

And yes, I know gif's are dead. Whatever.