Ronnie O'Sullivan may have found the equilibrium required to sustain his career deep into his forties after revealing he is learning to treat snooker like a holiday.
Months away from completing a quarter of a century as a professional, and after years of threatening to walk away from the sport, O'Sullivan has rarely been more content.
The former world number one, who turns 41 on Monday, was competing on Sunday in his sixth UK Championship final.
He might no longer top the rankings, but O'Sullivan was hailed as "the best player in the world by far" by former Crucible runner-up Matthew Stevens as the 'Rocket' picked the field apart in York.
And by combining playing responsibilities with lucrative television punditry, O'Sullivan has found a way to fill his days productively while away from home.
Previously he might have professed frustration at the travelling, waiting around and living out of a suitcase, but O'Sullivan no longer minds being on the road.
"I've only been home seven nights since September 8 - I've literally been on a long holiday, an all-expenses-paid holiday it's felt like," he said.
"I've been to so many different places and it's been really good."
Whether on the regular tour, or playing exhibitions across Europe, O'Sullivan has been racking up the air miles.
After already making stops from Bucharest to Belfast, and many more in between, the travelling continues as O'Sullivan plays German Masters qualifying in South Yorkshire in the week ahead, before heading north for the year-ending Scottish Open.
"The holiday continues," O'Sullivan said.
"I'm off to Sheffield for three days after this, I've had a few days here with my friends in York, and I've had a few visits from friends and that's been lovely.
"I'll shoot back home for a day then I'll slip back over to Glasgow."
Whether O'Sullivan is simply keeping up appearances, or has found a recharged appetite for the game, might be open to question.
But while the money pours in from playing and from television, and his every need is attended to, it would be contrary to complain.
Runs to the finals of the European Masters and Champion of Champions tournaments have shown O'Sullivan to be far from over the hill.
But he remains hard to please, and said: "I've just had to be patient through all of those tournaments because I've not really produced.
"I've blagged a couple of finals, I've nicked a couple of quarters, last-16, or whatever, but I wouldn't say I've gone into a tournament thinking this is mine to lose. I've just got to try to grind out a few results and I'll continue to do that until something happens.
"And it's like a light switch, it just clicks one moment and you're away."
The holidays will continue for the Chigwell-based cueman once the snooker travelling circus takes its short winter break, but this time it will be on his own terms.
The Masters in mid-January at Alexandra Palace is the next big target, and O'Sullivan can sleep in his own bed at that event.
He added: "I've got to think about what I'm going to do over Christmas.
"I've got three weeks at home, and I'll be thinking 'where can I go next?', so I don't know - I might go to Finland, do a bit of skiing or something."
