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MESSAGE #1221 KEEP GOING

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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

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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!!!

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MESSAGE #768 USTA TENNIS TEACHERS CONFERENCE AND US OPEN WRAP-UP…

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“Don’t worry about things you can’t control.”

Well, I’m back in Princeton, NJ after a whirlwind NYC tour at the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference and a US Open book signing. I am pleased with how everything turned out.

If you read my message from Monday, you know that there was a mix-up with the ordering of my books for the TTC. I had a book signing but no books. It worked out and books were available.

I couldn’t control the fact that I didn’t have books five hours before my book signing. It wasn’t easy, but I focused on preparing for my talk and staying in the present moment.

Your life is the same way. There will always be challenges. Someone once said, “Life is a series of problem-solving events.”
It’s true. You can’t control the problems, but you can control your perception of them. And you can control your response. On the court. In school. At work. At home.

Yesterday, I had a book signing at the US Open bookstore, just before Billie Jean King. It went very well; I sold some books, then met Billie Jean. She was very nice. She called me Edwardo. Funny. I gave her a copy of my book and she signed an old Time magazine for me, thanks to my friend, Melissa Sapio, editor of “Game. Set. Life.” and a great GSL promoter.

The rest of the day was spent catching up with friends and tennis pros from all over the world, though I did manage to watch one set of Cilic’s match in the Grandstand.

I met some great people in the industry at the Tennis Teachers Conference and US Open. It was a pleasure presenting my workshop and experiencing this great event.

I could focus on the things that didn’t go so well, but why would I waste that energy?

I hope you enjoyed the photos above.

For those of you in the Princeton, NJ area, don’t miss my peak performance workshop and US Open party tomorrow at Mrs. G’s TV and Appliances in Lawrenceville. 6-9pm.
Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #767 IT’S ALL GOOD…

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“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!

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“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.

MESSAGE #410 BEST SELLER???

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great James Tillinghast in Delaware.

Well, it’s official – my new book, Game. Set. Life. is currently ranked higher than Roger Federer’s book, Billie Jean King’s, Gone with the Wind, Oprah’s, and Tennis For Dummies on Amazon.com.

I extend much gratitude to everyone that purchased my book on Amazon yesterday. It really helped bump me up from #386,000 to #4,988. Not a bad start.

Let’s have a contest…

Whoever can tell me (in as many words as you like) why you need a copy of Game. Set. Life., you win a free copy signed by myself and one of my friends, students and heroes, who wrote the forward to my book…Brad Abouchedid, Special Olympics, Gold Medalist in Tennis.

Let’s give it until Monday, September 15th at noon. Email me at and good luck!


Thanks for reading.