Raised by his grandparents in Philadelphia, Kevin spent endless hours at the neighborhood playground where he found his calling: a red rubber ball. 

As he grew up, Kevin continued to pursue the value of “play” symbolized by this red rubber ball. He joined the Air Force, earned his degree, became an athletic trainer (eventually head trainer for the Philadelphia 76ers NBA team), created a position as Katalyst (the “K” is for “Kevin) at Nike, and launched Kevin Carroll Katalyst–an organization committed to elevating the value of sport and play around the world.

A child finds what he sees as a limitless game and chases it as his life’s work. I don’t know about you, but I find that inspirational.

What about you? What inspired you earlier in life?

Did you stop chasing it?

Maybe it’s still there, waiting for you to give chase again.

This doesn’t mean you will earn a living from it, but it could be a hobby or a side-hustle. It could inform the work you do. There may be a metaphor from your love of music that applies to how your team works together. The art of cooking can give you ideas for managing multiple projects.

If you look for it, you can find a red rubber ball waiting. Kick. Chase. Repeat.

For more on Kevin Carroll, check out his worthwhile book, Rules of the Red Rubber Ball.