Fremantle star Caleb Serong has overhauled his approach to footy and given himself permission to soak up wins and enjoy the season, instead of constantly feeling the need to chase perfection.

Serong has always had an insatiable hunger to improve and that has helped him to become a three-time All-Australian and three-time Doig medallist.

But he has revealed he now understands the importance of enjoying every moment and taking time to appreciate what the Dockers have produced this season.

He said while striving for excellence is important, so is celebrating the hard work which has led to the club now enjoying a historic season.

“In the past I’d probably look at what’s next before actually enjoying what’s happening at the moment,” Serong told The West Australian.

“You’re never really going to be able to take in and soak it all up until things are finished because you’re always going to be looking for that next step and what’s next. But I think if you completely live in that space, you rob yourself for some of that joy and that enjoyment along the way.

“We want to enjoy the journey. We want to make the most of these experiences that we’re having at the moment because it’s rare,”

“It’s rare that you have a season so far that you have as many wins as we do, and only lose two games so far. It’s not common. You don’t do that every year.

“We want to make this the norm in terms of a sustainability factor. But do that, it’s got to be a journey focus. I know what it’s like to be on the other side of it and not making the eight and having your season done by this time of the year.

“There’s not one part of me that’s not going to enjoy this experience and have an immense amount of gratitude for what we’re going through at the moment and make the most of it because I know what the other side of the coin is like.”

Serong said coach Justin Longmuir’s attitude had been one of the keys to players enjoying the season so much. He said Longmuir had urged them to look for moments to enjoy their hard work instead of constantly feeling like they have to be switched on.

Serong said that approach had allowed the team to stay mentally fresh.

But tellingly, Serong said while Fremantle are two wins clear on top of the ladder, the players understand they haven’t achieved anything and must climb another mountain in September.

“There’s no guarantees. We could do absolutely everything right and train our backside off, prepare, do everything we can, and then we just get beaten by a better side, or luck doesn’t go that way,” he said.

“So the outcome is a part of it, and you do everything you can to be able to make sure you’re in the best spot possible to be able to succeed. But there’s no guarantees at the end of the day.”