15th January 2026
In 2015, tennis legend Novak Djokovic was asked about the drivers of his exceptional on-court success.
His response was simple: “I can carry on playing at this level because I like hitting the tennis ball.”
When the interviewer pressed him, asking whether there were players who don’t, he continued:
“There are people out there who don’t have the right motivation. I can see it. But I don’t judge.”
That line unlocked something for me, I just didn’t know it yet…
Similarly, Apple CEO Tim Cook. was once asked in an interview about the drivers and motivations behind his extraordinary success.
As he walked through his typical day—from a 3:45am alarm, into critical emails, into a 4:45am workout, and onward into a jam-packed schedule at the office— the interviewer noticed that he had a slight glint in his eyes, a little smile appearing on his face.
A day that would make a normal person’s head spin was lighting him up. It was energizing, It was joyful for him.
With guys like him, you can only say, “Good luck competing against this guy!”
Tim likes hitting the ball.
You’ll never be the best at your game over the long-term If you don’t like hitting the ball.
Ask yourself: Do you like hitting the ball?
Do you like the core, repetitive actions that form the foundation of the work?
Does it feel easy to take on the seemingly mundane tasks?
Do you feel energized when you wake up on Monday morning?
Do you like hitting the ball?
If not, you may still succeed, You may still do well, You may even do great in the short-term.
But over a long enough timeline, it’s almost impossible to beat someone who genuinely enjoys the work itself.
And when you find that thing—that game you genuinely enjoy—
Good luck to anyone trying to compete with you.
In 2026 – Start doing work where you like hitting the ball & stay blessed forever.