The Power of Joy with Pro Connor Garnett

BTW? Joy is a direct avenue to peak performance.

In today’s Bite Size Pickleball newsletter:

Pro player Connor Garnett interview on the Power of Joy.

I interviewed PPA 3rd ranked singles player Connor Garnett for an article I wrote called the “Power of Joy” for Pickleball Magazine. The piece runs in their November issue. Of course, because also Augie Ge and Jaume Martinez Vich were interviewed for the same piece, not everything got into the main article. In fact, a very small part of all three interviews got into the finished piece. But what did get in was pretty cool. We all basically collaborated on what an integral part joy plays in the game we love. Below is the interview with Garnett in its entirety. I will post Ge’s and Vich’s in the future.

A quick note on the Power of Joy, from a personal perspective. Of course, if I am writing about joy, I better be able to exemplify it on the court, in good times, and bad times! (You know I’ve had my share.) In other words: be the example I am writing about.

I had a good test Monday night. I played in the city league pickleball playoffs. We got spanked in the first round. However, I believe I had a smile on my face the entire time, and I was very supportive to my partner. The week before, I got a little too emotional with him at times. Mainly, because he can be, sort of, undisciplined. But you gotta roll with whomever you invited to the dance and make it work. So, my entire agenda, going into the playoffs was very simple:

1) Be a good partner.

2) Play with joy.

3) Let everything else take care of itself.

The good news is after our first round thumping, we played for the bronze and won it fairly easily. We ended on a very positive high. Also, it was a great group of guys in the league. Not one dickhead amongst us. They might say, maybe, me…however, I’m the writer in the group ;)

On with the joy, Connor, this is it!

RICK: Have you ever thought about your joy and how it fuels you?

CONNOR: I think without joy in your journey, your daily routines are not sustainable. If every day, I feel miserable in what I'm doing, motivation lowers, the quality of work lowers, and overall, you are not at your best when you are not happy. 

RICK: What brings you joy about pickleball?

CONNOR: The challenge in pickleball and the opportunity to get better at something is what brings me joy in pickleball.

RICK: Where does your foundation of overall life-joy spring from? For instance, were you raised by joyful parents? Had other joyful examples in your life? 

CONNOR: The joy in my life has come from overcoming obstacles. Getting out of my comfort zone and conquering things that I didn't know if I could. Skydiving has been one of those things for me. I also grew up being a very shy kid, so pushing myself to talk to more people and be in more group settings and speak up in conversations has also brought me a lot of joy. I am now able to connect with so many great people and pickleball has been another way to do that. 

RICK:  How does joy help you compete?

CONNOR: If there was no joy, competing would be miserable. I think it's the moments of success on the court from myself or my opponent that brings joy. Out thinking someone with a strategy or pattern that works. Hitting a nearly impossible ATP that bends in just right, those little things are why I smile so much on the court. 

RICK:  Are there athletes from other sports you admire because of the joy they play with? 

CONNOR: Roger Federer was just a top tier guy who played with a balance of grit and class. You never saw him breaking down on the court. He was always smiling. Definitely a role model and a style of play I want to emulate. 

RICK: Do you think joy is an avenue to peak performance?

CONNOR: I think without joy it would be hard to reach your maximum potential. 

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RICK: Are there times when your sense of joy is challenged on the court? Like, as you get closer to the finals matches? Or if you lose a big match? If so, how do you get back to the joy?

CONNOR: There can be a big feeling of disappointment after losses, as there should be when you are putting in so much work and fall short. The bounce back is learning from the losses, that drives the work you do off the court, and then you take that back to the court and try again. In any match, though, there are moments of joy. Amazing points, incredible shots, crazy comebacks, those all contribute to joy on the court. 

RICK: Have you worked with a performance coach? How have they helped steer you toward approaching your journey from a positive mindset?

CONNOR: I have had coaches who help with my mindset. I think the biggest thing for a positive mindset is believing in myself and trusting my shots. 

RICK: Do you practice any form of mindfulness, or positive self-talk?

CONNOR: Mindfulness has been key for me. I will meditate and journal in the mornings. I will have affirmations based off my goals.

RICK: Draw a line from your joy as a child to your joy now. Has anything changed about it, or become more difficult to maintain?

CONNOR: I'm far more joyful now. As a kid I was scared and shy. Tennis helped shift that and I had a couple friends from tennis that were outgoing who pushed me out of my shell. I'm still close with them now. I think joy is easier now because as an adult you have more say in how you go about your life. If I'm not happy, I can always shift and change something, or try something new to figure out what does bring me joy. 

RICK: Talk about embracing your challenges through joy rather than be intimidated, or fearful, of those challenges. 

CONNOR: The challenges are what bring me joy. Knowing that it is possible to overcome them and finding a way and accomplishing that goal brings me joy. 

RICK:  I have noticed as players get more about their pickleball serious (i.e., start competing on a high level), they tend to lose that sense of joy they had at the beginning. Advice for them?

CONNOR: This loss of joy, from what I've seen, seems to happen when players feel stuck. I think continuing to believe and work hard is the key. Figuring out a way to get unstuck and not doing the same things that aren't working would be my suggestion. If you never quit then you never fail, so pushing through those tough moments and knowing there is joy on the other side of the obstacle. 

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