The point of it all
"It's fulfilling from a sense of accomplishment, but it's not fulfilling from a sense of the deepest places of your heart. Why do I want to win this tournament so badly? That's something that I wrestle with on a daily basis... Because, you know, what is the point?"
Scott Scheffler
It was supposed to be a routine press conference at Royal Portrush on Tuesday.
Scott Scheffler, World No.1 golfer, sitting in front of the familiar sea of journalists and cameras ahead of the British Open Golf Championship. From when he was 3 years old, playing with a set of plastic clubs, he’d dreamed of being the best golfer in the world. Now, with 3 majors under his belt and holding the top ranking since 2023, he was living that dream.
A journalist from the Associated Press asked what seemed like a standard question: “What would be the longest you've ever celebrated something and what was the most crushing loss?"
What happened next brought the room to a standstill.
Instead of a polished response about resilience and moving forward, the kind we’re so used to hearing from the greats, Scottie did something completely unexpected.
He got vulnerable. Existential. And he asked the question that many professional athletes spend their careers avoiding:
What's the point of it all?
"It feels like you work your whole life to celebrate winning a tournament," Scottie shared, “[but] that kind of euphoric feeling - it only lasts a few minutes."
Woah. This wasn't the script anyone was expecting from the World’s No.1.
"I literally worked my entire life to become good at golf, to have an opportunity to win that tournament. And you win it, you celebrate. I get to hug my family, my sister's there, it's such an amazing moment… And then it's like: OK, now what are we gonna eat for dinner? You know, life goes on."
What struck us most about Scottie's press conference wasn't just his vulnerability, but his courage to publicly wrestle with the big questions. To stand up in front of the world and say, "I don't know." To acknowledge that even when you're living what looks like the dream, you're still trying to make sense of it all.
We rarely see this from our sporting heroes. We're used to media-trained responses, carefully crafted comments, and the pressure to keep up appearances… But what a gift it is to see behind the mask. To see Scottie addressing the room as a person, rather than a persona.
It’s here that he reminded us all - perhaps without even realising - that golf is something that Scott Scheffler does, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of who he is.
The same is true for each and every one of us. Underneath our achievements and accolades, we’re all just humans trying to figure out what matters most.
Sometimes in life, the biggest perspective shift is the simplest one: remembering that we're human-beings first, and human-doings second.
That's what Scottie's grappling with when he questions “the point” of it all. He's discovered what many of us learn the hard way - that the external victories, the trophies, the two minutes of euphoria, they're fleeting. They’re not where we find depth of meaning or lasting fulfilment.
They’re the same questions we all come to ask ourselves:
What is success? What is it all about? Is it the extrinsic stuff that we all obsess about, be it fame or fortune. Or is it about the intrinsic factors? Relationships. Experiences. Memories. Getting out of our comfort zones. Trying new things. Realising our potential.
It reminds us of Andre Agassi’s a-ha moment when he reached the pinnacle of his own career. When asked a similar question, he shared:
“I felt nothing… You win and you win and you win. And when I got to No.1 I was kinda let in on this dirty little secret. That it really doesn’t change anything. Monday you’re going out there and having to prove it again.”
What can we learn from Scott Scheffler’s interview?
If we were sitting beside him as he processes all of this, here's what we'd remind him (and ourselves):
The point isn't just the win.
It's to play - the daily practice, the problem-solving, the joy of doing something you love.
The point is purpose - dedicating your efforts to something bigger than yourself, whether that's family, community, making a difference, or simply bringing the best version of yourself to the moment.
And the point is potential - trusting that you'll find a way through, believing in what's possible, and enjoying the opportunity to grow and learn.
Scottie’s already starting to live into this wisdom. He talks about loving the challenge, loving practice and loving the opportunity to live out his dreams. He speaks of his desire to be a great father, and to dedicate the journey to his family…
Well, it sounds painfully simple, but that’s the magic of intrinsic motivations. Those 3 P’s: play, purpose and potential.
They’re the whole point. They lead us in the right direction.
Ready to learn more?
- Tune into our interview with ABC Sport 👇
Brought to you byABC SPORTPresented byPatrick Stack
2. Head to Module 1: It's All About Perspective to get started for FREE on our Unlocking Perspective program.
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