I think you strike at a good middle ground, here! The wonder and joy element feels especially pertinent to my experience. Where I've gotten better with writing, or chess, or running (when I did it in high school) I can almost always point to those two emotions. Reading a scene, or playing a scene with friends, that takes my breath away for the power and fantasy that it captures; seeing a beautiful sequence of moves; seeing my high school friend trucking along at five minute miles, seemingly never losing his breath. That moment where I don't feel jealousy, I feel -- oh, that's really cool, let me try and do something like that. I think that's when I've been in my best space striving forward.
Good luck with your running! Especially in this absurd summer we're already having at the tail end of spring.
I think you strike at a good middle ground, here! The wonder and joy element feels especially pertinent to my experience. Where I've gotten better with writing, or chess, or running (when I did it in high school) I can almost always point to those two emotions. Reading a scene, or playing a scene with friends, that takes my breath away for the power and fantasy that it captures; seeing a beautiful sequence of moves; seeing my high school friend trucking along at five minute miles, seemingly never losing his breath. That moment where I don't feel jealousy, I feel -- oh, that's really cool, let me try and do something like that. I think that's when I've been in my best space striving forward.
Good luck with your running! Especially in this absurd summer we're already having at the tail end of spring.