Mudita.
It is a word from the Sanskrit and Pali languages, meaning "sympathetic or vicarious joy, or the pleasure that comes from delighting in other people's well-being."
Mudita is why I coach.
There's no better feeling in this profession than when an athlete has a performance that embodies the work they've put in to achieve it.
Spectators only get to see the finished product. The privilege of a coach is getting to see the process. And it's in seeing the process that mudita is possible.
I use "privilege" because our role in that process is a responsibility we can never take for granted. Mudita comes from investing in an athlete. With that investment comes the highs and lows of achieving anything worth celebrating. In fact, maybe the feeling of mudita is so powerful because hard work by athlete and coach doesn't always guarantee success. It only gives you a chance.
But for the days when possible becomes reality, there are few things in the world that bring more joy.