1/18/2021 2 Comments

Honing Your Craft - Book Review of "Big Magic"

I’ve been doing a lot of reading in 2021 so far. I love reading, and when I’m hurting for inspiration, there’s nothing better than a good book to kick me in the butt.

This month I read Elizabeth Gilbert’s book “Big Magic—Creative Living Beyond Fear.” (You may remember Elizabeth Gilbert from her hit memoir “Eat, Pray, Love”.) In “Big Magic” she talks about having the courage to unearth the treasures that are within us. Each one of us, she says, has the capacity to live a creative life, but we get bogged down with thinking about the outcomes. She suggests that we approach our creations, or our craft (books, paintings, choreography, program, spreadsheets or whatever) with diligence and gratitude because we love it and because we can. Keep your head down and do the work, basically, regardless of the outcome. We are lucky enough to have found our craft, and it is our duty to keep honing it because the world needs to see our individual interpretation of it.

Another book that addresses this is Rob Bell’s “How to Be Here”. Bell talks about finding our purpose and that it’s our duty to approach it as a craft, rather than success, which comes with the pressures of an expected outcome. He says:

throwing yourself into it begins with being grateful that you even have something to throw yourself into…. We surrender the outcomes because we cannot control how people are going to respond to us and our work in the world….The joy come from being fully present in this moment. The reward is in throwing yourself into it right here and now.

I love this. As much as we preach “focus on your own journey” in skating, it’s hard to live that motto when every single outing in our sport is judged, and when social media consistently brags about the achievements of others. By focusing on our gifts and how lucky we are just to be on the ice, we can begin to reframe our relationship with the sport.

P.S. If you're curious and want to read either of these for yourself, visit my bookshop to purchase while supporting local bookstores.

2 Comments

Adam Levin link

4/17/2026 06:10:08 am

This is such a refreshing and much-needed perspective, especially in a world that constantly pushes us to measure everything by results.

What really stands out is the idea of shifting from outcome to craft. That’s easier said than done—particularly in a sport like skating, where performance is literally scored and compared. But the way you connect that mindset to creativity makes it feel more possible. When the focus moves from “How did I place?” to “How did I show up?” or “Did I give myself fully to this moment?” the entire experience changes.

The message from Big Magic really lands here. The idea that we are lucky simply to have found something we care about—and that our responsibility is to keep showing up for it—is both grounding and motivating. It removes some of the pressure while still honoring the importance of the work.

I also love the connection to Rob Bell’s idea of surrendering outcomes. That concept feels especially relevant in environments where so much is outside of our control—judging panels, audience reactions, even timing and circumstances. Focusing on presence instead of reception is a powerful way to stay steady in something that can otherwise feel unpredictable.

Your point about social media is also very real. It creates a constant stream of comparison that can easily pull us out of our own lane. Reframing success as engagement with your own craft—not someone else’s highlight reel—feels like a necessary shift, not just for athletes but for anyone trying to create something meaningful.

What this ultimately comes back to is gratitude. Not in a superficial way, but in a deeper sense—recognizing that having something you care about enough to pursue is already significant. From there, the work becomes less about proving something and more about expressing something.

It’s a simple idea, but not an easy one to live. Still, posts like this are a great reminder to come back to it—again and again.

Jessica link

4/17/2026 06:10:37 am

This is such a grounding reminder, especially in spaces where performance and comparison are constant.

What really resonates is the shift from achievement to engagement. It’s easy to say “focus on the process,” but your reflection actually gives that idea weight. Thinking of our work as a craft—something we return to daily, refine, and respect—feels far more sustainable than chasing outcomes that are often out of our control.

The idea of “throwing yourself into it” is powerful too. Not halfway, not conditionally based on how things might turn out—but fully, simply because the work matters to you. That kind of commitment changes the relationship you have with what you do. It becomes less about proving something and more about participating in something.

I also appreciate how you acknowledge the reality of skating. It’s not an environment that naturally encourages detachment from results—everything is scored, ranked, and compared. So choosing to focus on gratitude and presence isn’t passive; it’s actually a deliberate and sometimes difficult mindset shift.

The connection to social media adds another layer. Constant exposure to others’ achievements can make it feel like you’re always behind or not doing enough. But when you bring the focus back to your own craft—your own time on the ice, your own progress—it becomes a lot easier to stay grounded and motivated.

What your post ultimately highlights is that meaning doesn’t come from the outcome—it comes from the act of doing. From showing up, putting in the work, and staying connected to why you started in the first place.

It’s a simple perspective, but one that feels increasingly important to return to.

Author // the skating yogi

My name is Sarah Neal. I have been immersed in the world of figure skating for over four decades. I have seen firsthand the abuse that happens at the higher levels of our sport and experienced how that trickles down into unhealthy training practices and habits at the grassroots. I have seen this play out in the operations of the very institutions that control our sport. Whether for a profession or hobby, pursuing skating should be a joyful, rewarding process, an opportunity for athletic and personal growth, and a place to build lasting friendships.

Following the framework of Patanjali's 8 limbs of yoga and my unique application of the 8 limbs to the skating journey, I help skating folks of all ages learn to train smarter, skate better, and enjoy the process. The Skating Yogi offers space and support to help you, through yoga, release harmful conditioned beliefs and habits to let a new path unfold, leading you to true connection and contentment. Ditch the comparisons and begin to connect with your true self and to a new kind of skating journey.

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Honing Your Craft - Book Review of "Big Magic"

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