MESSAGE #668 CAN’T IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD…

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“Nobody cares about what you can’t do.”
-GREG HICKMAN

Starting today, I want you to eliminate the word “can’t” from your vocabulary.

I continued my 21 day program this morning as I meditated and worked out as soon as I got out of bed. I didn’t let myself negotiate with myself to say “I can’t do it.” I knew I could do it, but would I?

I didn’t really feel like it, but I did it anyway.

Exceptions shatter dreams.

What are you putting off?

What is it that you think you “can’t” do?

Recently, I was teaching an 8-year old beginner girl. She was doing great and having fun, but then she started missing and getting discouraged. She started using the “can’t” word. It got worse. Finally, I said, “Okay, let’s not use the word can’t.” So she would miss another shot and start to say, “I can’t…” but then, stopped herself, smiled, and said, “I can!”

Guess what? She started hitting the ball well again, she became more energetic, and become more hopeful.

So eliminate that four-letter word from your vocabulary when you’re on the field, on the court, in court, at work, at school, and in relationships.

It CAN make a difference.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #667 YOU HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE…

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“Never contend with a man who has nothing to lose.”
-BALTASAR GRACIAN, 1601-1658

How many times have you seen an upset in sports? The underdogs beating the favorites. It happens all the time. If you have nothing to lose, you go all out. If you are supposed to win, many times you are tentative.

It’s better to go all out and lose than it is to hold back and win. If you are the favorite, don’t ease up.

This applies to life also. Go all out in relationships. Go all out in your job. Your musical instrument.

If you give your best, how can you do any better?

At the end of the day, ask yourself, did I go all out, or did I hold back? Did I win, or did I learn?

Be happy with your effort, not your result.

That’s all you need to know and do.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #666 POTENTIAL ENERGY…

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“I am just a regular guy, and I’ll show you what a regular guy can do”
-LANCE ARMSTRONG

It’s French Open time.

The red clay at Roland Garros is definitely slower than the courts at the Australian Open, Wimbledon and the US Open, but that ball will still be hit over 100 miles per hour.

It will be hit with different spins, at different heights over the net, and all over the 78 foot long court.

But look at the tennis ball photograph above. That ball only has potential energy. Nothing will happen until its state changes. Nothing changes until that player picks it up, tosses it in the air and puts it in play.

You are like that tennis ball.

You are potential energy. You could have all these great ideas. You could say you’re going to do all these great things. But unless you actually change states and take action, nothing will happen.

Take action today.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #665 PERCEPTION

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“People only see what they are prepared to see.”~ RALPH WALDO EMERSON

There is no good or bad.
There is no right or wrong.
Our perception is our reality.

Two people can experience the same event and walk away with two different perspectives.

If you lose a tennis match, you can walk away saying…

“I lost. I’m a terrible player.”

Or you can say…

“Even though the score wasn’t to my liking, I actually learned quite a bit and next time I will do better.”

If you lost your job, you could feel sorry for yourself or you could look at it as a blessing in disguise to do something that you really love.

Look at the image above for a few moments.

What do you see?

There is no correct answer. You might see a giant corkscrew. Look at it from another angle and you might see smoke from a chimney, or a giant clam opening. It may remind some people of Rapunzel’s long hair.

So there are different ways to see things. Try to look at things from different perspectives and remember, there is no right or wrong and there is no good or bad.

It is your choice whether you see things as positive or negative.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #664 WITHIN OR WITHOUT – THAT IS THE QUESTION…

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“If you do not have success within, you have success without.”
-ED TSENG

The quote above is all you need to know if you want to be successful.

It’s all you need to know if you want to be happy.

If you truly want to become successful and happy, stop focusing on the external riches, like money, status, and material things, and start focusing more on the internal riches, like inner peace, love, and compassion. Effort and attitude are more important than outcome.

Incorporate meditation, relaxation, and self-improvement into your daily life and you will enter a new world.

We’re all so busy that we feel that we don’t have time to meditate, relax or read. But the truth is, if you’re too busy to better yourself – you’re too busy. That’s like saying you don’t have time to stop for gas because you’re too busy driving. Eventually it will catch up to you.

So here’s your homework…

Right after you read this blog, go for a walking meditation. Notice and appreciate everything around you, like the trees, the cars, the sounds, and the smells. Take deep breaths and have gratitude for all the big and little things in life. The good and the not so good.

Let me know how it goes.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #663

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You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.
You’re on your own.
And you know what you know.
You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.
~DR. SEUSS


Thank you to Michelle Frias in Los Angeles.

MESSAGE #662 READ THIS EVERY DAY…

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“When you are inspired by some great purpose, some extraordinary project, all of your thoughts break their bonds: your mind transcends limitations, your consciousness expands in every direction and you find yourself in a new, great and wonderful world. Dormant forces, faculties and talents become alive and you discover yourself to be a greater person than you ever dreamed yourself to be.”
-PATANJALI

MESSAGE #661 DIDN’T HAVE TIME, BUT DID IT ANYWAY…

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“How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

Well, today is Day 2 of my 21 day program of exercise, meditation, and organization. I didn’t really have time to exercise this morning, as I’m about to catch the 7:36am train into the city, but I did it anyway. I also meditated and feel great. I will certainly organize later today.

Life is about moments.

Yesterday I talked about doing what you need to do.

Today, I’m telling you that after you do those things, create moments for today.

We tend to think that we will live forever.

We accumulate “things” and save all of our money, but we can’t take those things with us, can we? It doesn’t matter if you’re the richest person in the graveyard.

At the end of your life, it is the moments that you will remember. And it is the things that you wish you had done.

Go all out in life.

Go all out in your sport.

Make every day count.

We only have one chance at this wonderful thing called life.

Start taking guitar lessons. Start taking cooking classes. Make time for reading.

What am I doing today?

Playing tennis in Central Park with the great Bob Ryland, the first black professional tennis player.

Talk about moments.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #660 WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

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“Don’t confuse activity with progress.”
-author unknown

I have a feeling that someone reading this message has a busy life.

You’re always on the go.

You feel that there are not enough hours in the day.

You don’t seem to be getting anywhere in life.

Anyone can be busy doing a lot of things, but that doesn’t necessarily help them get to where they want to be. I have certainly been guilty of this.

See, here’s the thing…

Whatever you do, make sure it’s towards your ultimate purpose. If you want to be the best plumber in the world, don’t go out and get your real estate license. You have to keep heading in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to say no to people.

And another thing…

Do what you need to do, whether you feel like it or not. Like your taxes. Like your laundry. Like paying your bills. Like pulling weeds.

These things are not fun, but they need to be done.

I’ve been putting off exercising, meditating and organizing every morning, but today I decided to get back on track and do those things for 21 straight days. They say that if you do something for 21 days, it becomes a habit. That’s my goal. Today was day one, and as soon as I got up, I went for a walking meditation and when I finish this blog, I’m going to go up to my office and do some organizing.

I feel good, but I’ll feel even better after 21 days. Then it will be part of me.

Anybody can do something once – the great ones do things consistently.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #659 YOUR NETWORK IS YOUR NET WORTH…

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“Connections are everything – ask any electrician.”
-author unknown

Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Ron Dyson.

I’m here at the 2009 USPTA Eastern Division Annual Convention in Mt. Kisco, NY.

The purpose of this event is to network and further our education as tennis pros. Yesterday was a powerful day as John Yandell, Rob Polishook, Mark Fairchilds, Bill Mountford, Luke Jensen, yours truly, Daniel Burgess, and JoAnne Russell gave some great seminars. Afterwards, Whitney Kraft, Director of the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center conducted a Cardio Fast Feed Contest and a One on One Doubles Tournament.

I learned some new things and I met some new people. I think that being here has given me and my book some new exposure. It may also bring about some new business opportunities.

During my talk, I spoke on the fact that we are all on the same team. Our network helps motivate us. It teaches us. It holds us accountable. It could help us in job searches. I will be sure to email every single person I met at this convention. I may be able to help them, and perhaps one day they will help me. You become the people you surround yourself with. Who do you surround yourself with?

Remember, you can’t put your hand in a pot of glue without some of it sticking.

Today – Stan Smith…


Thanks for reading.