Why I Quit Formula Drift

Summary

Adam LZ explains that he is stepping away from Formula Drift next season to make room for his long-term goals, health, and other priorities. He says that constantly chasing the next achievement can make it difficult to appreciate what you have already accomplished—and can leave important parts of life neglected.

He remains grateful to the Formula Drift community and proud of his team’s performance, including the E36’s reliability and its ninth-place championship finish. He may return to competition in the future, but for now, he feels the time and financial investment do not outweigh the benefits compared with other opportunities.

Wellness and Productivity Takeaways

• Set goals beyond the immediate future. Adam says he had focused on what came next without considering what he wanted life to look like in three to five years. He is now using that longer-term perspective to reassess his commitments.
• Notice when achievement becomes a moving target. Continually raising the bar can be motivating, but it can also prevent you from recognizing your progress or enjoying what you have built.
• Evaluate the opportunity cost of commitments. Adam decided that pursuing an FD championship would require more time and focus than he wants to give it right now. Compared with his other goals, he feels that trade-off is not worthwhile.
• Make space for health and recovery. He describes putting his health second for years. Frequent travel and consecutive event weekends leave him with too little time to rest, catch up, and feel well.
• Address health problems rather than continually postponing them. Adam plans to seek help for his chronic back issues and is willing to consult professionals and follow a treatment or exercise plan.
• Build physical activity around what feels meaningful. He misses BMX and wants to ride more, snowboard in the off-season, and return to other active pursuits—while first working on his back and reducing injury concerns.
• Protect personal time and boundaries. Separating his private life from his online content has helped him maintain an identity outside YouTube. He wants more room for home life and recovery.
• Recognize that changing one commitment is only a first step. Adam acknowledges that leaving FD will not solve everything. He expects to make further sacrifices and changes to bring his life closer to his priorities.
• Make time to appreciate what you have. He reflects on the value of slowing down, enjoying past achievements, and not postponing health and personal goals indefinitely.

Presenter and Sources

• Presenter: Adam LZ
• Mentioned sources: The FD Podium podcast; a saying about “doing the same thing over and over” that Adam thought might be by Albert Einstein, though he was unsure of its attribution.