I take it back.
My mom made us write resolutions at least until 2010. I know that because she replied to last week’s skinny with written proof (see below).
I know I’m writing a lot about my personal life, but the people I study are just like us.
They’re happy, sad, proud, depressed. Coco Gauff is a great example.
She was really good at tennis, then she was really good at tennis. And that has a lot to do with what she lets define her.
You can read the full article about Coco here, but I’m also including some excerpts below.
Last year, another early exit—at Wimbledon (2023), in the first round—almost sent Gauff spiraling. The day after the loss, she refused to leave her room. Her parents invited her out for dinner and a show. Instead, she ordered Uber Eats and watched Judge Judy. “I was in a really dark place,” says Gauff. “I put my identity too much into tennis. It was taxing to feel awful all the time.”
How do you turn - “I lost that match before I stepped on the court.”
Into - “I feel like I won the match before I even stepped on the court.”
Feelings can be all consuming, but they don’t have to define us.
Gauff lost the first set, just like in Paris (Wimbledon 2023) the previous year. She again retreated to the bathroom. But this time she didn’t shed any tears. She looked in the mirror, splashed water on her face, and brimmed with confidence.
So what do you let define you? Life happens slowly, then all at all once. All seasons pass. We choose the feelings that define us, and goals help us set that mentality.
And that’s the skinny.
P.S. Here are my brother’s goals from 2010. My mom and I can’t stop laughing by our choice of font and color.
