Prioritising your passions – why hobbies are so important to our success.

Do what you love, they say, and you’ll never work a day in your life. It’s not quite true though, is it? When striving for success and pouring every bit of yourself into one singular pursuit, it’s easy to lose sight of your peripheral passions - those ones that ground you, requiring little effort or explanation to keep you happy and humming.

That’s why I’ve always advocated for finding the time to let those pastimes flourish, leading a life that’s true to who you are and, importantly, has balance. Perhaps you find that through a creative side-hustle - a counterpoint to the work at your office desk. Or maybe you get it from volunteering - giving your spare time to help a worthy cause. Or it could be a simple act of self-care - finding a meaningful way to breathe and rechange.

I know I’ve tried consciously to do all of the above. On tour, that sometimes meant simply travelling with my Kindle, and reading constantly, everything from the memoirs of Ricky Ponting and Eddie Jaku, to a squillion silly assassin novels, disappearing daily into escapism or inspiration. Sometimes it meant nothing more than roaming a neighbourhood in a foreign city, searching out the perfect coffee bean at the perfect local café - like Faculty Coffee in Birmingham, or 200 Degrees in Nottingham. It sounds strange, but that coffee quest got me out of yet another hotel room every day, and brought me closer to home for a few minutes every morning, because I could picture myself in my kitchen, standing at my La Marzocco Linea Mini, fretting over the extraction and timing of a perfect latte for my sisters, Mum or Dad. 

In retirement, I play more golf as a way of switching off, and reconnecting with all the mates I’ve missed. But I’m also passionate about working with the next generation of Australian tennis talent, because as hard as the professional tour was, the game itself was, is, and always will be, my abiding passion. It’s where my knowledge lies and my skill set remains - that sweet spot for giving back in a quiet capacity. Once I would have talked with the young Australian female players and wondered “am I giving away too much here?” but now that we’re no longer competitors, I can remember exactly what it felt like to be in their position, and I can help them with a little advice, tip, trick or idea.

Because that’s the wonderful thing about passions. They’re unpredictable and infectious, sometimes shared and always in need of nurture. They demand our time and energy, and prioritisation. Whether you’re nose deep in a spreadsheet, or facing a day of back-to-back meetings, or staring down a sporting adversary, it’s worth remembering that we all need something else to do when it’s time to log off, or walk off, or step away.