Tricking Enthusiasm

When you like something and you like that you like it, that's a form of enthusiasm. The more enthusiasm you have for tricking, the better you will get at it. Why? Because it makes you want to trick! But tricking enthusiasm is volatile, some days you like tricking and some days you don't like it that much. And sometimes this "not liking tricking that much" thing can last awhile. What is happening?

Enthusiasm drain

If you like red tricking and everybody else seems interested in blue tricking, it'll annoy you. Maybe you'll form doubts about your preference for red tricking and give blue a try? Maybe you have and blue doesn't seem to click with you.



But we often don't distinguish between red tricking or blue tricking, we just call it tricking. This can result in a disparate, muddled feeling about the whole tricking thing. Maybe you're perceiving tricking and blue as inseparable, and blue doesn't fit you. Maybe you don't want to be identified with tricking if blue is here to stay. Do you still like tricking or not? What can you do?

Build onto the definition

Tricking is an aesthetic blend of kicks, twists, and flips. This definition is meant to be built upon. It's a foundation for your own framework of what tricking can be. Tricking, for me, is most meaningful and fulfilling when... Build a framework around this by writing down your own preferences and establishing your own set of values. Until you do this, your "tricking" enthusiasm will remain volatile, because your hodgepodge framework will be vulnerable to opinion and trends. Stop tricking like there is a certain way tricking is supposed to be, and start tricking like you want tricking to be.

Make two lists

So what you want to do is create two lists: Things that make you happy about tricking, and Things that annoy you about tricking. This will help reveal your tricking values and style preferences. There isn't a wrong way to do this, just write it out like a 4th grader.

Use your lists

Somewhere in between your two lists is your tricking style. Use your lists to create some corresponding goals: mostly things you think would be cool, for you. Also, establish some non-goals! Things you only mildly care about that you will forego! This will help you eliminate distracting elements that will play against your tricking enthusiasm.

Did it work?

Your enthusiasm for your own tricking style will increase if you love your goals and gave them some growing room by establishing non-goals. If your enthusiasm for tricking isn't increasing, then play Master Blaster for the Nintendo Entertainment System.

































I... I mean add more detail into your lists of likes and dislikes. Then try readjusting those goals and non-goals of yours. Your tricking goals should motivate you. As noted once by a generic motivational speaker: "It's not what a goal is, it's what a goal does." We can modify that little quote too "It's not what tricking is, it's what tricking does to you." So make tricking into something that makes you want to trick! (for more modified quotes, click here).

Extracurricular bulleted list

• Watch motivating tricking videos, and also non-tricking videos that make you want to trick. Listen to music and day dream about yourself tricking. Read this.


• Cultivate friendships with individuals who share a comparable style to your own.


• Tricking enthusiasm wanes when you're exhausted. Take a break. See New Game +.


• Recreate your likes and dislikes lists monthly. This isn't a one time exercise, it's a practice.


• Actually try what I wrote on this page! Really. Do it. Don't be embarrassed about how childish the process seems. Nobody has to know you regularly write likes and dislikes lists to help you clarify your tricking values. It can work if you do it well: because building and maintaining tricking enthusiasm isn't complicated. It's as simple as playing Blaster Master for the Nintendo Entertainment System!