MESSAGE #732 WHAT THIS BLOG IS ALL ABOUT…

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“I think I can, I think I can. I think I can.”

-The Little Engine That Could



This blog is not about tennis or sports psychology. This blog is about giving people hope, and the cultivation of optimism. The belief that anything is possible. We are all blessed with the tools to become successful, but oftentimes we get in our own way. We don’t believe that we can do things. But the truth is, we can. Let’s recall my all-time favorite children’s story…



A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill “I can’t; that is too much a pull for me,” said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side. “I think I can,” puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”



As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, “I–think–I–can, I–think–I–can.” It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, “I thought I could, I thought I could.”



–The Little Engine that Could, Mabel C. Bragg



Mabel C. Bragg, a school teacher in Boston, wrote this story in 1930.



Well her her story lives on to this day. Here is an email I received from the great Alma Prelec in Boston.



Dear Ed,

A few weeks ago I received an email from my 9th grade cross-country coach reminding me to keep running throughout the summer so that I will be in shape for this fall. I wasn’t very excited to run after lounging around all of June but quickly I was back into the routine of doing about 5k every day. The only problem was, I would ALWAYS stop around halfway for just a bit to catch my breath because I’d think I couldn’t keep running. This was really bothering me because I didn’t want to have to keep stopping during tryouts.

One day I was reading your blog and I came across the entry about you during one of your first yoga classes. You described how you had to hold your arms out in a position that seemed to go on forever. You noted with frustration how an elderly woman near you seemed to be having a much easier time than you even though you were clearly in better physical shape.

Then you had a revelation! Even though you were in better shape, she was more comfortable with the yoga poses and therefore more confident and had better mental toughness.

So yesterday I went running again. As I ran, I thought about your post. As I neared the mid-point, I thought to myself “I am definitely fit enough to do this. All I need to do is be strong enough mentally.”

And then I did it! It was pretty amazing. I didn’t even feel tired when I got back home. Thanks!

–ALMA PRELEC, Boston Massachusetts

PS Congrats on getting your book in the US Open!

So that’s what I’m talking about.

HOPE.

BELIEF.

OPTIMISM.

How will you say, “I think I can” today?

Thanks for reading.

Come on out tonight @ 7:30pm to the Cryan Tennis Tournament at Mercer County Park, West Windsor, NJ for 1st Round Doubles action – Ed Tseng and Dan Horowitz.


MESSAGE #731 WELCOME TO REALITY…

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“When your feet are firmly planted, you are stuck. Welcome change!”
-ANTHONY ROBBINS

Happy Birthday to my brother-in-law, the great Stanley Ho in Austin, Texas.

Welcome to reality. Change is inevitable.

People are changing.

Our opponents are changing.

Weather conditions are changing.

Technology is changing.

But here’s the problem…

Nobody likes change. People like homeostasis.

I have a feeling that something in your life today will not go as planned, or you will experience some sort of change.

I challenge you to look at change differently today. Embrace it. Think about how it will make you stronger, smarter, more relaxed.

We often look at situations with our narrow points of view, but once we become more flexible and open-minded, our feet get un-stuck and we begin to change our lives and as a by-product, change the results we are getting.

What change are you going to embrace today?

Leave me your comments.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #730 WHAT WE ULTIMATELY WANT…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Pintu “Bean” Patel in Midland, Michigan. Happy Birthday to my favorite Indian British tennis pro.

Have you ever seen those people who work out at the gym all the time? They lift weights to try and get bigger and bigger? They think that what they really want is to have the best body. To have biceps bigger than my head.

But then they can’t bend over to tie their own shoes.

They are too tired at the end of the day to spend with their family.

Now don’t get me wrong, strength training is great and has its benefits, but there is something missing…

ENERGY.

What we ultimately want is more energy.

How do we get more energy? Here’s how I do it…

1. Drink a lot of water – The slightest drop in water level affects your energy level. I drink reverse osmosis water from Whole Foods.

2. Eat real food – Eat mostly seasonal fruits and vegetables, cut back on red meat and consume whole wheat carbohydrates instead of white bread, white rice and potatoes. EAT AT HOME!

3. Do what you love – If you love your job, it won’t be work. If you incorporate things you enjoy into your schedule, you will be happier, and more energized.

4. Help others – The best way to motivate yourself is to motivate others. There are very few things that will give you more energy than the satisfaction that you made a difference in someone else’s life, and the world.

5. Have gratitude – When you stop focusing on material objects and all the things you want, and start appreciating all the amazing things you already have, like your health, family and friends, you instantly increase your energy.

Below are a few great quotes on energy.

“The more you lose yourself in something bigger than yourself, the more energy you will have.”
-NORMAN VINCENT PEALE

“Do you remember the things you were worrying about a year ago? How did they work out? Didn’t you waste a lot of fruitless energy on account of most of them? Didn’t most of them turn out all right after all?”
-DALE CARNEGIE

“And what is a man without energy? Nothing – nothing at all.”
-MARK TWAIN

“If people around you aren’t going anywhere, if their dreams are no bigger than hanging out on the corner, or if they’re dragging you down, get rid of them. Negative people can sap your energy so fast, and they can take your dreams from you, too.”
-EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #729 I LEARNED THE SECRET!!!

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“You don’t know what you don’t know.”
-author unknown

Sometimes things happen in your life and it’s as if a light bulb suddenly went on in your head. An “Aha” moment. An enlightenment, if you will.

Well, I had one of these recently in yoga.

The first class that I took was difficult. I had to stop during some of the poses because I couldn’t hold them any longer.

But there were two factors involved. The first one was that I was using different muscles and wasn’t conditioned to do some of the moves.

It’s not that I couldn’t do them, but that I couldn’t do them…yet.

But the biggest lesson I learned was that I didn’t have the right strategy. When the poses started to get tough, my focus was on the fact that I couldn’t hold it any longer. That is the wrong mindset.

My yoga practice and life changed when my instructor, the great Vanessa Kudrat said, “When it gets tough, breathe deeper. Focus on another body part – anything except the fact that it is difficult.”

It works!!!

I was doing an inversion (shoulder stand) the other night and it started getting difficult, but I took deeper breaths. I focused on my feet. I held it for over a minute longer when I thought I couldn’t go a second longer.

Most people get tighter or more intense when things get difficult.

The key is getting more relaxed. Breathing deeper. Focusing on something else.

I have already used this strategy in other areas of life. In fact, with this new technique, I don’t think there’s anything I can’t do.
When you push yourself through difficulty, you enter a whole new world and you accomplish things you never thought you could.

Isn’t it funny that the fitness club that I take yoga at is called, CanDo?

There’s a reason.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #728 GAME. SET. LIFE. – THE AUDIO VERSION

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“The secret of success of every man who has ever been successful lies in the fact that he formed the habit of doing those things failures don’t like to do.”
-A. JACKSON KING

Well, last night I began recording the audio version of my book, “Game. Set. Life.” at the great Scott Strunk’s studio. I have done some recordings in the past. I have also conducted teleseminars, an internet radio show and recorded youtube.com videos, so an audio CD should be a piece of cake, right?

WRONG!

The first lesson (chapter) was tough. It was a short chapter but it seemed so long. I needed a break. We then listened to it and made some edits. It was going to be a long road ahead. Should I stop? Is it worth it?

I continued. During the next few chapters, I messed up a lot, but I laughed it off. I had to improvise a bit and felt a lot of pressure. I was also starving.

But I pushed through. I stayed focused and acted confidently, even though I didn’t feel that way.

If you feel the pressure and push through anyway, you become on a whole new level. A level where the winners hang out. The losers feel the pressure and stop. That’s where it begins for the champions.

I became comfortable being uncomfortable. I did what I needed to do, even though I didn’t feel like it.

You can too in whatever you do.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #727 PEAK PERFORMANCE TIP…

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When people see a great tennis player, they usually think, “Wow, they really have a gift.”

I don’t think that way.

In my teaching career, I have seen many people give up too quickly. The truth is that anyone can become a great tennis player.

You see, it’s not about being gifted – we’re all gifted. It’s about the persistence. It’s about the hard work.

If you know what you want to accomplish, don’t try your best.

DO WHATEVER IT TAKES.

Enjoy this quote from J.R. Miller

“It is not enough to begin;
continuance is necessary.
Mere enrollment will not make one a scholar;
the pupil must continue in the school
through the long course,
until he masters every branch.
Success depends upon staying power.
The reason for failure in most cases
is lack of perseverance.”

So the next time you feel like giving up…

The next time you don’t think you can continue on…

Keep going anyway. Stay strong. You can do it.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #726 THE MEANING OF LIFE…

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“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”
-THE BUDDHA

Someone once said that the purpose of life is to discover your gifts and the meaning of life is to give those gifts away.

What are your gifts? What do you love to do most? What are you good at?

Are you keeping those gifts to yourself, or are you sharing it with others? Can you teach it?

Every morning I am excited to start my day because I am doing what I love. One of my gifts is teaching tennis and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to share it with others on a daily basis. I feel that my message is too important to keep in Princeton, NJ and tennis. That is why I wrote my book and now work with not only athletes in all sports, but people from all walks of life. My book, “Game. Set. Life.” is not about tennis – it’s about life. And beginning this Fall, the Tseng Performance Academy will be at the brand new Monroe Sports Center with tennis, fitness/nutrition and mental training programs. It will also feature workshops for coaches and athletes from all over the world on how to achieve peak performance.

We all have gifts. Many gifts. In fact, everything we do is a potential gift. Whatever we do, we should do it well. Whomever we come in contact with, we should put a smile on their face.

If you’re an athlete, leave it all on the field. Do a little bit extra. Compliment your teammates. Teach others. Thank your instructors and coaches. Thank your parents for their support, even if it seems like they are pushing you too much.

It’s because they care.

And you should care.

I know what you’re thinking, “It’s not cool to try.”

But do you want to be cool, or do you want to be great?

I challenge you to light as many candles as you can today. Make it your best day yet. Do something…and make it amazing.

I think you will like the results.

With much gratitude,
Ed

MESSAGE #725 THAT WAS HILARIOUS!!!

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“Laughter is an instant vacation.”
-author unknown

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Heather Allsup in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Yesterday, I took a yoga class with yoga master, Karuna. It was fantastic; I should have known with a singular name like Karuna. She’s like Prince or Madonna. I am really getting into this yoga thing. Today was my fifth class in the past week.

It’s tough to pinpoint one reason why I’m so addicted to yoga. It definitely helps me stay in the present, by forcing me to focus on my breathing. I also feel more flexible and mindful of my body and my surroundings. Yoga also helps me stay relaxed when the pressure’s on, because holding some of the poses can be challenging, but that usually comes from the mind. It is supposed to be challenging so that other things in your life become easier.

I really enjoyed yesterday’s class because at the end, we performed a laughing meditation. Karuna told us a joke and then we all started laughing. At first, we were faking our laughter, but then we all started really laughing because everybody else was laughing. It was hilarious.

I will now share that joke with you and then I want you to perform a laughing meditation (if you are alone). If you are at work or in a public place, laugh to yourself or just smile. Do this for about one minute and see how you feel. Laughter relieves stress when the pressure’s on. Try it next time you’re about to do something that makes you nervous.

Joke: Why don’t Buddhists vacuum in the corners?

Answer: Because they don’t have any attachments!

Aahahahahahahahahahhahaahahahahahhahahahaaha!!!!!!!!!!

Hahahahahahahhahahaahahahahahahahahahhaahhaha!!!!!!!!

Aaaaaaahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Now go and enjoy your day.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #724 DO’S AND DON’T’S

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Kimberly Smith in Brooklyn. Happy Birthday to you.

DO – Go all out

DON’T – Hold back

DO – Stay loose

DON’T – Put too much pressure yourself

DO – Act energized (especially if you are tired)

DON’T – Act how you feel (unless you are energetic)

DO – Have gratitude for your sport, job, life

DON’T – Be materialistic and take things for granted

DO – Take action

DON’T – Procrastinate

DO – Something amazing

DON’T – Stay in your comfort zone



Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #723 GET DISTURBED!!!

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Nothing changes until you do one thing…

“Get disturbed enough that you feel compelled to change. Get disturbed enough that you say ‘no more;’ you will not take it anymore. Expose yourself to the pain and confront it until you are compelled to make the necessary changes.”
-ANTHONY ROBBINS

Do you want to become a better tennis player?

Get disturbed enough about losing all of your matches that you put everything into your practice sessions.

Do you want to succeed financially?

Get disturbed enough about your credit card debt and start saving.

Do you want to start eating healthier?

Eat a couple of meals at home naked.

Last night I got disturbed.

I saw the movie Food, Inc. You need to see this movie. It talks about the food we eat and how it has become a business. A business that we haven’t been able to do much about. It talks about how there are only a few major players controlling what we eat. We’re not eating normal food anymore. What we’re eating is a result of the big companies wanting to make more money by producing faster, bigger and cheaper products. Processed food. Genetically altered food. Below are some notes that I took from the movie…

1. Chickens now take a third less time to “grow” and they are so big that they fall over because their bones cannot support their body weight. Oh, and they never see sunlight and walk around in their own poop.

2. In nature, cows eat grass. Today, cows eat corn. It’s cheaper and makes them fatter which produces more meat. This corn makes cows produce e coli in their stomachs. Then the cows stand ankle deep in their bacteria infested waste. When they produce hamburgers, they are tainted with e coli, but don’t worry, they add a beef filler that contains ammonia, which kills the bacteria. Then they package it and ship it to stores. Each burger we eat contains meat from thousands of different cows.

3. Corn is in everything because it is cheap to produce. We have high fructose corn syrup (one of the top ingredients to avoid), and there is corn in 90% of the items on the grocery store shelves. Corn is even in charcoal and batteries. Corn is sugar and it spikes our insulin levels. This could lead to Type II diabetes. Did I say could? I meant probably will. One in three children born after the year 2000 will have Type II diabetes.

4. It costs less to eat at McDonald’s than it does to eat real food. Low income families have to choose the dollar menu over fresh fruit and vegetables because…it only costs a dollar.Is this right? Is this what we have come to?

We are what we eat.

It can help us or it can hurt us. It’s our choice. The more we eat organic, the more organic food will be available. The more we eat fast food, the more the big players will make the farmers continue to produce mass processed food.

I know in my own experience that when I eat healthy, I feel better, I move faster, and my mind is more clear. And I know that I’m preventing future illnesses.

I have made a decision to take care of my body and not let the food producers dictate what I eat. If it didn’t exist 100 years ago, we probably shouldn’t be eating it.

Choose organic food.
Read labels.
Educate yourself.
Eat more fruits and vegetables.
Exercise.
Meditate.
Be nice to all living things.
SUCCEED.


Thanks for reading.