DANIEL Jackson entered the 2013 season with a firm mindset it was going to be his last.
After nine seasons and a venture into the "dark times" he spoke about when he accepted Richmond's best and fairest in September, he was just about done.
So he approached last year with a new thought process; he was going to enjoy his football and focus on his life away from the game, and relieve himself of the stress and pressure he had encountered in previous seasons.
The results spoke for themselves, as he went on to win his first Jack Dyer medal ahead of Dustin Martin and Troy Chaplin.
"I thought it was absolutely going to be my last season so my mindset was that I was going to go and have some fun, on and off the field. Just relax more and enjoy it," Jackson said this week.
"Funnily enough, that led to me playing better football.
"I went away at the end of the year and I thought, 'What am I going to change?', and the answer was, 'Not too much'.
"I've just been trying to enjoy myself and it's not hard around here; we have such a great group of blokes, the coaches are fantastic and everyone enjoys being around the footy club.
"It's a great environment so it's getting easier every year, and I think winning helps too."
The 27-year-old AFLPA representative has strong beliefs regarding the importance of maintaining a careful balance between the closeted environs of AFL football and the world beyond it.
He believes what clubs expect players to do during the pre-season has reached a limit, with training, school visits and community responsibilities taking up plenty of time.
After his best season came through a better equilibrium between work and relaxation, he understands just how important that balance is.
"The boys love doing that kind of stuff [school and local football club appearances] but sometimes it comes at the expense of other off-field stuff or a normal social life," he said.
"We're really cautious of time management and making sure we fit in as much as we can at the footy club, but also allow the guys to go and live normal lives.
"You can't live too much in the AFL bubble or it can get to you.
"The guys who have the best balance tend to have the best performance out on the field."
Jackson described winning the best and fairest as "the proudest moment of his life" when he stepped up to receive it last year, because it was "something I never thought I could do".
He has also made sure he's replicated a similar mindset going into this season.
"I've spent a lot of my footy career just doing the jobs asked of me and not really much more and that's fine. That's hopefully how I'm going to looked back upon, as a journeyman player that's done what was asked," he said.
"To get an award like that, that's reward for effort, just doing those little things right.
"Again, I'm not thinking this year that I'm going to be setting the world alight.
"I just want to go back and do what I have to do for the team. That's my role.
"I'm probably not going to win too many games off my boot but I like to think that the team is better off when I'm out there so I'll keep having fun and trying hard and that will be my main goal."
