MESSAGE #954 PRINCETON INDEPENDENT AUTHOR EVENT
In this video blog, Ed Tseng reports from the Independent Author Event at the Princeton Public Library.
MESSAGE #953 HOW TO BE A LEADER
Recently, I was teaching on a court next to another instructor. All of a sudden I heard, “Watch this…” as the teacher stood with three tennis balls in his hand. The ball cart was on one side of the net and the he was on the other side, pretty far away. He threw the first tennis ball high and far…and missed. Then he threw another, high and far…and missed, all while his students watched. The final ball, he threw and actually made it. Everyone on his court celebrated.
Pretty cool, right?
WRONG.
We lead by example. Our students respect us. They want to use the same racquet that we use. They want to wear the same clothes that we wear. They may even start to walk like us.
When we (coaches, teachers, parents, managers) throw balls when we should be picking up, we are conditioning our students (employees, children) to do the same.
Sure enough, the next time his class was picking up balls, two of the four students attempted to throw balls into the ball cart.
Do you know what the instructor said?
“COME ON guys…you should be picking up.”
MESSAGE #952 THE PROBLEM…
I know what the problem is…
YOUR FEELINGS.
I know what the solution is…
YOUR ACTIONS.
Any questions?
Leave your comments below.
MESSAGE #951 DR. SEUSS
Yesterday was my father’s birthday. Do you know who else had a birthday yesterday?
Dr. Seuss.
He’s the childrens book author, right?
Wrong.
Everyone can learn from his words.
Here are some great quotes…
You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself, any direction you choose.
Today you are you, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is youer than you.
Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So… get on your way.
And will you succeed? Yes indeed, yes indeed! Ninety-eight and three-quarters percent guaranteed.
Happy Belated Birthday, Dr. Seuss.
What’s YOUR favorite quote? Leave your comments below…
MESSAGE #948 FROM THE BEATLES
There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done.
Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game. It’s easy.
Nothing you can make that can’t be made.
No one you can save that can’t be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time. It’s easy.
-THE BEATLES
The Beatles are no different from you and me.
“There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done.” It’s easy, just find successful people and do what they’re doing.
John, Paul, George and Ringo had a growth mindset, but they also knew the value of hard work.
In fact, in his book, Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell talks about how instead of playing one hour sets, once in a while in Liverpool, The Beatles went to Hamburg and played 7-8 hour sets seven days a week! Supposedly they were terrible on stage at first, but improved by putting in the time.
Everyone wants be an overnight success, but it takes ten years to become an overnight success…or 10,000 hours, according to Gladwell.
I know what you’re thinking, 10,000 hours is a long time!
I can help make it easier:
1. Instead of focusing on 10,000 hours, focus instead on one good hour…then do it 10,000 times.
2. Enjoy the process and those 10,000 hours will fly by.
3. Remember that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
Also from Outliers…
“The emerging picture from such studies is that ten thousand hours of practice is required to achieve the level of mastery associated with being a world-class expert–in anything. In study after study, of composers, basketball players, fiction writers, ice skaters, concert pianists, chess players, master criminals, and what have you, this number comes up again and again. … No one has yet found a case in which true world-class expertise was accomplished in less time. It seems that it takes the brain this long to assimilate all that it needs to know to achieve true mastery.”
There’s no short-cut…now get to work.
What are you trying to master? Leave your comments below…
MESSAGE #947 A GREAT STORY
In this video blog, Ed Tseng, Pro of the Year USTA 2005 and author of “Game. Set. Life.” shares a great story about “acting as if” and peak performance in sports and life.
MESSAGE #943 A MENTAL TOUGHNESS EXERCISE
It’s not what’s happening around you. It’s not what’s happening to you. What matters most is what’s happening inside you.
Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Steven Nakagama Magee in Millburn, NJ.
EXERCISE:
Think back to a “good day” in your sport. Visualize what went on before, during and after that peak performance. Re-create those feelings and actions.
Now go back to a “bad day” that you had. Visualize what went on before, during and after that poor performance. Re-create those feelings and actions.
Compare the two.
The difference is always in your head.
So what does this mean?
It means you have to be mindful of your self-talk during practice and competition.
Instead of breaking yourself down, build yourself up.
MESSAGE #938 LISTEN TO THE RADIO
Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Eugene Harper in Hong Kong.
Whether you’re in sports, sales or school, you have to know what radio station your clients, teammates and classmates are listening to.
I’ll save you some time. I know what station they’re listening to…
MMFG AM Radio
Make Me Feel Good About Myself Radio
1. Catch people doing something right.
2. Compliment them.
3. Have a genuine interest in them.
4. Repeat.
Most people focus on themselves.
The great ones focus on others.
Be a great one.
MESSAGE #937 PEAK PERFORMANCE IN REAL ESTATE
Today’s message is especially dedicated to all the great Weichert Realtors in Manalapan, NJ.
I’m giving a talk to one of the top performing Weichert Realtors offices in New Jersey today.
What do I know about selling real estate? A lot.
See, it’s not about real estate, it’s about resiliency. Bounce back ability.
Real estate is challenging these days, so you need to be able to bounce back. It’s a numbers game.
In sports, you don’t win all the time, but if you can bounce back from losses, you will eventually win. Selling real estate is the same way.
Remember Message #918 SW9?
You don’t drown by falling in water.
You drown by staying there.
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #934 MY FAVORITE VALENTINE’S DAY STORY
There once was a woman, she was the envy of all her friends-she had two boyfriends, Bob and Tom. Bob and Tom both knew about each other. This went on for a couple of years.
Well, one Friday evening, Bob picked her up as he normally did on Friday evenings. But Bob who is normally late, was right on time. And Bob who was normally dressed casually, wore a suit. And Bob who normally was pretty mellow, was a bit excited. So they went to dinner but instead of going to their normal restaurant/bar to eat, they went to a fancy restaurant. They had a wonderful meal and right before dessert, Bob takes out a jewelry box from his jacket pocket and proposes marriage. And the woman says the worst possible thing, aside from a flat-out no. She said, “I have to think about it.” So the Bob was upset and took the woman home.
The woman was sad…until the next night, when Tom picked her up.
So Tom who is normally right on time, was early. And Tom who is normally in a suit, wore a tuxedo. And Tom who normally was energetic, was extremely high energy. They went to dinner but instead of going to their normal fancy restaurant, this night was the country club. They had a wonderful meal and right before dessert, Tom takes out a jewelry box from his jacket pocket and proposes marriage. And the woman says the worst possible thing, aside from a flat-out no. She said, “I have to think about it.” Tom was upset and took the woman home.
The woman sat lying in bed feeling miserable, going from two boyfriends to no boyfriends. But fortunately, the only woman who could help her showed up-her fairy godmother. “You don’t look like your normal self, what’s wrong?” the fairy godmother asked.
“Bob took me out Friday night and we had a nice time, but then he proposed to me and I said I have to think about it. Then Tom took me out Saturday night and we had a great time, but then he proposed to me and I said I have to think about it. I don’t know who to choose!”
“That’s easy. All you have to do is take two pieces of paper and on the top of one write Bob and on the top of the other, write Tom. Take as long as you need and write down the one thing you love most about each of them and then your answer will instantly come to you.”
So the woman took the piece of paper with Bob on it and thought and thought and thought and three hours later she figured out what she loved most about Bob. Then, she took the sheet with Tom on it and it took her another three hours, but she figured out what she loved most about Tom…and her answer instantly came to her.
A little while later, her fairy godmother showed up and looked at her. “Oh, you look like your normal self. Have you come to a decision?”
“Oh yes, I choose Bob!” exclaimed the woman.
“Great, but just out of curiosity, what did you write on Tom’s piece of paper?”
“Well, when I’m with Tom, I feel that he’s the most wonderful person in the whole world!”
“Really?” said the fairy godmother, puzzled. “Then why did you choose Bob?!”
“Because when I’m with Bob, I feel that I’M the most wonderful person in the whole world.”
So that’s the whole thing – it’s about others.
The best partners make the relationship better.
The best athletes make the team better.
The best business owners make the employees better.
HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY…and Happy Birthday to the great Kory Kahler and my friend, Valentine Barnaby, former Rutgers, NFL and Arena football player.