World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler stunned the sports world with an unusually raw and revealing press conference ahead of the 2025 Open Championship. With a calm yet introspective tone, he asked a question rarely voiced by dominant athletes at the top of their game:

“Sometimes I just don’t understand the point.”

In a five-minute response that has since gone viral, Scheffler spoke candidly about the fleeting nature of external success. He described the hollow afterglow of tournament wins, the struggle to find sustained meaning in victory, and the deeper purpose he now finds in family and faith over trophies and rankings. But was this just a passing moment of doubt, or a powerful signpost of personal transformation? Could it reflect a shift in his personal strivings and a new developmental phase in his identity?

How often do we stop to consider if our goals align with what truly brings us meaning?

Scheffler’s reflections align closely with key findings in personal strivings research: the idea that humans are motivated not only by outcomes, but by the psychological significance of what they pursue. Emmons (1986) defines personal strivings as what people are "typically trying to do," a construct sitting between broad motives and daily behaviours. They are internal, often subconscious goals that give direction to our efforts, and when aligned with basic psychological needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness), they are linked with wellbeing and resilience (Deci & Ryan, 2000). What does it mean if even the most successful among us start to question the very ladder they’ve been climbing?

Scheffler’s existential moment isn’t just relatable....it’s instructive. His question, "what’s the point?" highlights the fragility of external motivation when not underpinned by intrinsic purpose. In elite youth sport, similar risks emerge when athletes are driven by outcomes (selection, status, rewards) without grounding their motivations in personal meaning. As shown in my previous research, youth players in high-performance rugby programs who lacked clarity on their personal strivings were more prone to burnout, devaluation, and dropout. Could an increased focus on internal purpose protect players and professionals alike from the psychological costs of external success?

I previously outlined how players in the "investment phase" of sport (Côté, 2009) begin redefining success, seeking goals that offer personal growth, social meaning, or spiritual alignment. This echoes Scheffler’s statement that he’d walk away from golf if it jeopardised his marriage or fatherhood...a clear reordering of values from achievement to authenticity. Are we supporting athletes and high performers to explore purpose beyond performance, or only reinforcing short-term rewards?

Scheffler’s comments also suggest a transition point in identity development. According to McAdams and Pals (2006), personal strivings shift as individuals evolve from social actors (reacting to expectations) to motivated agents (pursuing self-authored goals). This resonates with Erikson’s model of personality development. Scheffler, though in his late 20s, appears to be revisiting as fatherhood and life perspective recalibrate his inner compass, possibly looking at new stage, considering generativity and how he'll be remembered. Have you ever re-evaluated your goals after a major life transition, and found that what once mattered now feels less important?

In Scheffler’s interview, joy came not from victory but from "walking off the course knowing I gave it my all" and "spending time with my son." His redefinition of meaning aligns with what Emmons called "communion strivings"; goals anchored in love, connection, and generativity (Emmons, 1999). In contrast to "agentic" strivings like domination or recognition, communion-based goals are strongly linked to wellbeing, identity integration, and long-term resilience. Which of your daily goals reflect communion with others, and which serve external approval?

The tension between external success and internal satisfaction isn’t unique to professional golf. It resonates across high-performance domains: youth rugby, corporate leadership, academia. When goals become untethered from personal meaning, even the most privileged roles can feel hollow. Research from Sheldon & Elliot (1999) and Houltberg & Scholefield (2020) shows that aligning one’s strivings with purpose is not just psychologically protective...it’s transformative. Are you climbing a ladder that leans against the right wall?

The challenge, especially in sport, is that performance environments often reward external validation over internal exploration. As I've previously noted, elite systems rarely pause to ask athletes what truly matters to them. Yet doing so can be a protective act. Emmons (1999) argues that meaningful striving offers coherence and motivation over time, while avoidance strivings (those focused on fear or preventing failure) often correlate with distress and disengagement. How can coaches, leaders, and parents create spaces for people to explore what matters, not just what wins?

Scheffler’s reflections offer a rare invitation: a moment where performance pauses, and personhood steps forward. They mirror what many athletes, leaders, and professionals wrestle with silently: a desire to feel more than just successful, to feel whole.

What’s your version of "what’s the point?"

References:

Emmons, R.A. (1986). Personal Strivings: An Approach to Personality and Subjective Well-Being.
Emmons, R.A. (1999). The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns.
Deci, E.L., & Ryan, R.M. (2000). The "What" and "Why" of Goal Pursuits: Human Needs and the Self-Determination of Behavior.
McAdams, D.P., & Pals, J.L. (2006). A New Big Five: Fundamental Principles for an Integrative Science of Personality.
Côté, J. (2009). The Developmental Model of Sport Participation.
Sheldon, K.M., & Elliot, A.J. (1999). Goal Striving, Need Satisfaction, and Longitudinal Well-Being.
McMurtry, J. (2025). PhD Thesis: Understanding Personal Strivings in Elite Youth Rugby.
Houltberg, B., & Scholefield, R. (2020). Purpose and Identity in Elite Sport.

Coaches Blog

"What’s the Point?" - Scottie Scheffler and the Search for Personal Meaning in Sport