November 17, 2009

Five Important Lessons of Tennis and Life


1. Develop a strong work ethic.
“I’d give anything to be able to play golf like you,” the fan said to the professional golfer as he watched him hit balls on the practice tee. To which the golfer replied, “No you wouldn’t, or you would have spent over 10,000 hours practicing just like I have.”

Not everyone is meant to spend thousands of hours hitting tennis balls against the backboard. Regardless of your level of talent, a strong work ethic paired with tremendous love for the sport is the most vital ingredient to success.

2. Find a dream and go after it.
Dreams start with a vision and then take shape in the form of goals and objectives. These goals should be pursued with a structured and disciplined action. Instead of being too cynical about his or her dreams, the athlete should realize that there are few physical differences between most athletes. The primary difference is the unlimited power and focus that comes from having a dream.

3. Learn that Setbacks and Successes are Both Helpful.
“Breakdowns usually happen before breakthroughs,” the saying goes. Setbacks serve to teach us perseverance and humility. Adversity helps us to grow, but one should always believe that something better is coming around the corner.

4. Make perseverance a habit
Athletes must be willing to hang in there and keep trying long enough to see the fruits of their labor. When on a losing streak it is very hard to not to give up, but through perseverance the competitor gains courage.

5. Seize the opportunity.
The ability to take charge of a moment is something all athletes must eventually learn. The moment to take control of a match presents itself very quickly in competition, and the habit of doing so must be automatic for such opportunities may never come back again.

No comments: