Kerry's Shane Ryan is a big believer in getting the balance right in life.
On the inter-county stage he's the Kingdom's last line of defence - a progressive, talented goalkeeper who is part of the new wave of players that continues to evolve the position.
Once he pulls on a Rathmore jersey for club duty, Ryan becomes a swashbuckling, high-scoring forward. The two roles complement each other, he says, the current trends in modern football allowing him to rove out of his goal to open teams up and even plunder scores.
Speaking at the launch of the Lidl Comórtas Peile Páidí Ó Sé tournament, Ryan reflected on the increasingly fluid tactical setups that are freeing him up to have a greater all-round impact.
"It was more the way teams were setting up against us rather than me trying to impose myself on an outfield role," he said.
"The Derry game [in last year's All-Ireland SFC semi-final] is probably the most notable one. Derry at times had 15 behind the ball. They were pinned back in their own half, so if we came under pressure with possession I was kind of a safety outlet at the back.
"The way the game has gone it's very much backs and forwards in both sides of the field in some games. It lends itself to me being kind of a safety net if we do come under pressure.
"The role of a goalkeeper, particularly at inter-county level, can be kind of a pressure cooker. Any mistake you make is magnified. You're constantly under scrutiny from opposition. Playing outfield gives you a sense of freedom. I really enjoy doing both to be honest."
Ryan scored a point from play in that Derry match, albeit it came following a strong collision with Shane McGuigan that had Oak Leaf supporters howling for a foul.
He has witnessed a change of attitude when it comes to goalkeeping, adding: "About 15 years ago a goalkeeper was a less sexy position I suppose.
"There's kids coming to club training now that want to be goalkeepers. They see goalkeeper as a position where you can express yourself. Kids are seeing goalkeepers taking free-kicks, kicking points from play breaking forward with the ball.
"They're getting much more media attention as well which is probably helping the position. I do like where it's going and I hope that it continues, the evolution of it. I suppose it's important as well that goalkeeping is about basics. Your shot-stopping, your kickouts. It's important not to forget that as well."
This new style of keeper is opening up other possibilities.
At the end of the month, Monaghan's Rory Beggan and Wicklow man Mark Jackson will travel to an American Football Combine in Indianapolis to showcase their kicking capabilities in front of scouts from all 32 NFL teams.
"If I'm relying on me playing well to be happy for that week I think that's more pressure on me than needs to be there."
"It's going back to the role of a goalkeeper being a bit more attractive," Ryan remarked. "I'd be following it with interest alright. I've only spoken to Rory a handful of times but he's greatly admired by all goalkeepers in Ireland and is someone who I would admire as well.
"It's something new. When it's something new and there's an Irish sports star involved we all seem to get behind it as well. It's not something I've ever really thought of myself. If [an offer] came I'd probably think about it alright, but I've enough to be focusing on to keep my jersey in Kerry and making sure we get back to winning ways this year."
The aim for the Kingdom, as always, is to get their hands on Sam Maguire. Harsh lessons were learned last July when Dublin edged a tense final late on, with Ryan admitting Kerry are now "back to the chasing pack again", but he's also keen to keep things in perspective.
"While football is very important to all of us, it's important to take into context that it's not the be-all and end-all. If how I perform on the weekend is dictating my mood on Monday morning, that's maybe a dangerous thing I think.
"If I'm relying on me playing well to be happy for that week I think that's more pressure on me than needs to be there.
"That sounds very airy-fairy, and I'm not walking into work Monday morning jumping around the place if I've let in a howler on Sunday, but where possible you try to separate how you are in general with people from how you played at the weekend."
