MESSAGE #439 LESSONS FROM THE PRO TOUR…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to all the great students in Professor Cordonnier’s Gender and Sport class at Rider University.

Shikha Uberoi is a professional tennis player on the WTA tour. She plays for both the USA and India. Currently Shikha is making a comeback after being on the tour for three years. Her highest ranking was #122 in singles and #80 in doubles. She has played Fed Cup for India.

I spoke to Shikha this morning…

Ed: What do you feel are the keys to success on the pro tour?

Shikha: Discipline, resilience, the ability to be yourself at all costs, and a sense of humor.

Ed: How has tennis helped you in other areas of your life?

Shikha: Wow, making great connections and seeing the entire world. CONFIDENCE. I think I’ve learned a lot of life lessons at a very young age. Pressure – you learn to deal with pressure. You learn what it is and you see what you are made of. And then learn to thrive on it. You see your limits. You learn to push your limits. And you see what happens when you push too hard.

Ed: What advice can you give to my readers who are looking to get to the next level, not only in tennis, but life?

Shikha: Learn who you are. Be yourself. Be true and be genuine. And be persistent.

So there you have it, be on the lookout for Shikha Uberoi…she’s making a comeback!

Thank you, Shikha, and thanks for reading…

MESSAGE #438 FOUR QUOTES

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“Nothing ever happened in the past; it happened in the Now. Nothing will ever happen in the future; it will happen in the Now”

-Eckhart Tolle

“Champions do what they need to do, when they need to do it, whether they want to or not.”
-Rob Gilbert, Ph.D.
Sports Psychologist

“One of these days is none of these days.”
-author unknown
“To get what we’ve never gotten, we must do what we’ve never done…start today!”
-Ed Tseng
Author of “Game. Set. Life.”

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #437 STOP TRYING YOUR BEST…

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One of the most important principles that I teach and feature in my book, “Game. Set. Life. – Peak Performance for Sports and Life” is…

Don’t try your best…

Do whatever it takes!

I spent some time last night with the great Dr. Charles Frantz, Director of The Conservatory of Music. We talked about how both music and sport relate to all areas of life. We shared stories and anecdotes. Here is my favorite…

Supposedly, Franz Liszt, the great 19th century pianist, was scheduled to play Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto (#5), but he broke his fourth finger.

Now, most people would have cancelled the performance, but not Liszt.

Rather than cancel the concert, Liszt re-worked the fingering. And the show went on.


Now THAT’S doing whatever it takes.

How can you apply that to what you do?



Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #436 JOB SUCCESS…SCHOOL SUCCESS…SPORTS SUCCESS…LIFE SUCCESS

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I tell people all the time, to have a “Joe DiMaggio Day.”

Let me explain…

When the great Joe DiMaggio was playing for the New York Yankees, there was a meaningless game at the end of the season, after the Yankees had already clinched a post-season spot. He played like he normally did – all out.

After the game, Joe D was interviewed and the reporter asked, “Hey Joe, this game was a ‘nothing’ game…why did you try so hard?”

“Today, there could have been one person seeing me play for the first time…I owe it to them to do my best.”

And now, Derek Jeter applies this philosophy.

Every lesson I teach, I give it my all, as if it’s their first lesson with me. Every motivational talk I give, I pretend that it’s my first. When I worked at the Princeton Racquet Club, I taught every lesson as if my bosses were on the court watching, even if they weren’t even in the building. And every morning, I write my blog in hopes that I can affect just ONE person out there. I think I can, but I don’t know for sure.

YOU NEVER KNOW WHO YOU’RE AFFECTING…

I love writing my blog every morning, and in my own weird way, I think I’m changing the world, but I don’t know unless someone tells me. This morning, someone told me…

Dear Ed,

My name is ________ and I am from __________. I’m 21 years old and I just spent the past 2 years in college in the U.S. playing college tennis in a Division 1 school. I ended last year inside the top 50 and I left college after last semester to pursue my childhood dream of playing professional tennis-A decision I am very happy with…

I’ve been reading your blog on and off for the past year and am just writing to thank you for all your inspirational/motivational messages. I turn to your page whenever I need a lift. I’ve had quite a few obstacles over the past year or so and reading your blog/quotes definitely helped me. I think you are an incredible person with a lot of love for the world, it’s good to know there are good people out there… I’m ranked in the 600’s in the world now and believe I can go very far. My ultimate dream is to be top 100 so I can play the slams and slowly but surely it’s becoming a reality…

Anyway, I’m sure you’ve got a million messages to read every morning so I’ll sign off. I’ve no doubt our paths will meet in the future at some pro tennis tournament. I will definitely be playing some challengers in California at some point. Thank you so much for everything man and keep on spreading the love!

Best wishes,

_____________

P.S. I know you like to put down people’s names in your blog but I’d prefer it if you didn’t use mine. Maybe when I make top 100 though! 🙂


Notice he said, “when” I make the top 100, not “if.”



Thanks for reading…and have a Joe DiMaggio Day…

MESSAGE #435 YOU NEED SKILLS…

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Would you ever go sky-diving without taking lessons?

Of course not, you need to learn the technique so you can reach your goal of landing safely.

So you need instruction before you get on that plane.

Life is the same way, you need to acquire skills before you compete, start working, or become an accountant.

Figure out what you want.

Build a foundation of skills.

Then, give it your all!



Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #434

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The person who succeeds is not the one who holds back, fearing failure, nor the one who never fails…but rather the one who moves on in spite of failure. Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat.”

-Theodore Roosevelt




Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #433 THE ONLY THING YOU NEED TO GIVE…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Liza Horan.

Pay attention if you’re a teacher, doctor, coach, athlete, student, male, female…

If you’re a coach, the only thing you need to give your players is…

HOPE

If you believe something is possible, it IS possible. But if you don’t, it ISN’T.

Give hope to your students, your patients, your friends and family.

Below is a message that I received yesterday…


“I am currently a 16 and under junior tennis player in New Jersey. My ranking is #6 in the USTA/Middle States section and #170 in the country. Throughout my life and tennis career I have never been able to beat someone ranked higher then me until today…last night Ed told me a quote-‘It’s better to go all out and lose, than to hold back and win.’ I played like that today and for the first time ever I beat two top 100 players in the country…THANK YOU, ED!”

-Max Rubin, Cherry Hill, NJ

Physical skills take a while to develop, but as I say, in my new book, “Game. Set. Life.” you can improve instantly by having the attitude and mindset of a champion. I just helped Max believe in himself…I gave him hope.

H.O.P.E. – Hold On Possibilities Exist

Great job, Max!

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #432 THE MOST IMPORTANT BLOG ENTRY OF MY LIFE…(SO FAR)

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For those of you that want to make a difference in the world…here’s your chance.

My birthday, October 26th is right around the corner and I know what you’re thinking…

“Will the Aston Martin arrive in time for Ed’s birthday?”

But seriously, folks, here’s what I’d like you to do for my birthday this year…

I want you to buy my book. I want your friends and family to buy my book. I want everyone at your office to buy my book. But I don’t want people to buy my book for me, because guess what?

I’m not going to see a penny of it!

For every book I sell on October 26th, 2008, I will donate one book to a child from the National Junior League of Trenton. The NJTL of Trenton provides educational, tennis and nutritional programs to under-privileged children in Trenton, NJ. I will personally sign, and hand-deliver the books to Dan Faber, the executive director of the program in time for the holidays.

So mark your calendars…October 26th at 9AM, tell everyone you know to buy my book on Amazon.com!… http://www.amazon.com/Game-Set-Life-Performance-Sports/dp/1419654756

Yeah, I’m talking to you…

Luigi Moriello, the soccer great in Naples, Italy…

Brooke Eastwood in Phoenix, Arizona…

Jake Myers in Belgium…

my 102 year old grandmother in the Bronx…

Richard Hall in Big Rapids, Michigan…

Nicole Arendt in Sydney, Australia…

Chris Kennedy in West Palm Beach, Florida…

Bob Emmons at UC-Davis…

and everyone else…

BEG, BORROW, but don’t steal. It’s only $15. You have 22 days to email this blog entry to everyone in your email contacts, tell all your friends on facebook, let everyone following you on twitter know what’s going on this October 26th.

And you know what? For those of you in the Princeton, NJ area…let’s make a party out of it…

Come to Amalfi’s Restaurant in Lawrenceville at 6pm on the 26th and I’ll have the Moriello family put out some great food (remember the vodka rigatoni and chicken francaise at my book signing?). Mamma mia! I’ll have my laptop there so if you don’t order earlier, you can order “Game. Set. Life.” online there.

I know MY most rewarding moments have been when I’ve helped others…here’s your chance.

“The human contribution is the essential ingredient. It is only in the giving of oneself to others that we truly live.”

-Ethel Percy Andrus

“Only those who have learned the power of sincere and selfless contribution experience life’s deepest joy: true fulfillment.”

-Anthony Robbins

Thanks for reading…

MESSAGE #431 LIFE IS LIKE KARATE…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Noah Maxwell.

Master Okazaki is a 9th degree black belt in Shotokan karate. In his book, Perfection of Character, Guiding Principles for the Martial Arts & Everyday Life, he says…

Karate is just like hot water – if you do not give it continuous heat, it will become cold.

I don’t care if you are the world’s greatest tennis player…if you don’t continuously practice and compete, your game will deteriorate, or become cold.

As a peak performance expert and motivational speaker, I make sure that I practice as much as I can and strive for never-ending improvement, because I know that if I don’t, I will lose it, and others will surpass me. Carol Dweck, ph.D., author of Mindset, calls this a growth mindset.

Are you giving your piano playing continuous heat?

Are you giving your sales technique continuous heat?

Are you giving your nutritional plan continuous heat?

Remember…

Success is not doing something once – success is doing something consistently.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #430 THE MEANING OF LIFE…

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The purpose of life
is to discover your gifts.

The meaning of life
is to give those gifts away.