Enjoyment is one of the most used words in sport, but also one of the most misunderstood. We hear it all the time: enjoy the process, enjoy the performance, enjoy the game. Yet the reality is that enjoyment doesn’t come automatically, even if you love your sport. In fact, the more effort and preparation you put in, the harder it can be to enjoy it because expectations rise and outcomes matter.

For me, enjoyment was a learned skill and a process. It came late in my career as a Gaelic footballer. Some people seem to have that perspective naturally. I didn’t.

A Different Approach in My Final Year

In my last year playing senior football with my club, Coolaney/Mullinabreena in Sligo, I committed to making enjoyment my number one priority. Of course, I wanted to go as far as possible and dreamed of winning a county championship. But what I wanted most was to enjoy every opportunity to play with my friends, my community, and in front of my dad.

That shift in mindset changed everything.

The Mini Goals

I knew I was past my physical peak, so I set new targets that narrowed my focus:

• Decision making: aim to make as many good decisions as possible under pressure.

• Leadership: encourage younger players, pull the group together, be positive no matter what.

• Skill development: improve my hand passing off my left side, something I had always overlooked.

These mini goals gave me direction beyond the scoreboard. They kept me focused on what I could control.

The Inner Voice

The most powerful change, though, was in my inner voice. For years, mistakes or pressure had triggered frustration and negativity. That final season, I wrote a new script:

• Stay at it. Stay strong.

• You’ve prepared well. Keep working.

• Next ball. Good contact. Clean strike.

• Move the ball fast. Make yourself available.

• Support somebody else. Be there for your teammates.

And one simple but important cue: smile. My dad always told me that. Smiling reminded me why I played. It brought calmness, and it helped me reset quickly when things didn’t go to plan.

The Outcome

That year turned out to be one of the most enjoyable of my career. We reached a county semi-final against Tubbercurry, losing narrowly by a point. Yet I played some of my best football in years, not because I was fitter or faster, but because I was clearer, calmer, and more present.

I’ll never forget seeing a photo in the paper of me fist-passing off my left hand in that semi-final. It was a simple moment, but it confirmed that focusing on one overlooked skill had expanded my game.

It also made me wonder: if one small blind spot could have such an impact, how many others had I missed? What would it have been like to work with great coaches like Declan Darcy or Noel McNamara earlier in my career?

The Lesson

Enjoyment isn’t about ignoring pressure or smiling through tough moments. It’s about clarity. It’s about having goals you can control, a supportive inner voice, and a deeper connection to why you play.

Visualization was also a big part of this for me, mentally rehearsing decisions, movements, and moments that I wanted to create. By the time I stepped on the field, I had already experienced the excitement.

Enjoyment is not just an idea. It’s a skill. And once you learn it, it doesn’t just make the game more fun. It can bring out your best performances.