MESSAGE #1221 KEEP GOING
With Billie Jean King at my US Open book signing
Champions keep playing until they get it right.
-BILLIE JEAN KING
I once had a student who began playing tournaments. In her first tournament, she lost first round. In the next tournament, she had the same result. And the next, and the next. For practically the first year, she didn’t get past the first round.
I told her, “This is a great way to improve, learn and develop as a player.”
She agreed with me, although she wanted better results. Well, she stuck with it and then started getting results.
She started winning some matches. She got to the 2nd round, then the 3rd and now it is rare if she doesn’t make it to at least the semifinals. She is also on her high school varsity team.
Most people give up too soon. They want immediate results. The great ones persist.
You need to hang on until you catch on.
Winning may feel good temporarily, but you learn more from losses.
The two most important questions you can ask yourself after a game/match/practice session are:
1. On a scale of 1 to 10, how did I play?
2. What can I do differently next time to get to a 10?
Focus on constant improvement and as a by-product, you will win more.
MESSAGE #1137 ADAPTATION
Recently, I attended the Tennis Industry Association Meeting at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. Many of the top names in the tennis industry were there to hear about the state of the industry and to see Billie Jean King get inducted into the TIA Hall of Fame.
While I was listening to Billie Jean King make her acceptance speech, something she said stuck with me.
“Champions adapt.”
I like that. Champions adapt to different opponents.
Champions adapt to different court surfaces.
Champions adapt to sun, wind and changes in equipment.
Champions even adapt to the economy, the job market and technology.
Are you a champion?
MESSAGE #872 SNOWBALL FIGHT!!!
MESSAGE #768 USTA TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE AND US OPEN WRAP-UP…
MESSAGE #767 IT'S ALL GOOD…
“The person who sends out positive thoughts activates the world around him positively and draws back to himself positive results.”
-NORMAN VINCENT PEALE
As you know, yesterday I had a bit of drama as I had a book signing at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference and no books. It worked out, but not without a lot of stress on my end. Someone from the USTA was nice enough to go to the US Open bookstore and pick up thirty books and bring them to the Grand Hyatt for my book signing at 1:30pm yesterday.
I was quite stressed before my talk at 11:15am, but did a little meditation to get in the zone. I was fine. I think my talk went well and sold quite a few books at the signing.
I did have to go back to Princeton last night to pick up more books, but it could have been worse. My positive mindset helped.
Today, I am going to listen to Allen Fox speak at 8:30am and then heading over to the Open to do a book signing at the US Open bookstore (near Court 10), just before Billie Jean King.
I will be sure to post an update and photos tomorrow…
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #758 LIVE FROM WEST PALM BEACH – IT'S ED'S BLOG!
“What I want out of tennis is not necessarily just winning.”
-JENNIFER CAPRIATI, former world #1 tennis player
If you have been reading this blog, you know that life is not about winning. It’s not about making a lot of money. It’s not about fame.
The quote from Jennifer Capriati is a great one. If winning were everything, we would only play people we knew we could beat. That would be boring.
You need to enjoy the process of improving, push yourself and be a good person.
Today I am in Palm Beach, Florida getting ready to give a talk to some tennis players and coaches on the mental side of sports and life. Denise Capriati (Jennifer’s mother) and her tennis team will be among the attendees.
I’ll probably be nervous. (I usually am before I give a talk).
But I won’t act nervous.
One of the mental secrets of the pros is that they focus only on the things they can control. It is then, that they win more. NOT when they are trying to win. You can’t control whether you win or not and I can’t control if the attendees will like me, or not.
Billie Jean King said, “When you stay in the process is when you win. Not when you get into the end results.”
I’m going to enjoy the fact that I am trying to help others and hopefully will help players and coaches think differently. If one person walks away more motivated or with more hope, my job is complete. But regardless, I will be focusing on giving my all and having fun.
After all, what else is there?
Thanks for reading.
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