MESSAGE #776
“As the fletcher whittles and makes straight his arrows, so the master directs his straying thoughts.”
-THE BUDDHA
Posts
MESSAGE #775 ONE SHOT AT A TIME…
“…we often still find ourselves disengaged from our own clarity, moving along without thinking…”
-From “Light Comes Through” by Dzigar Kongtrul Rinpoche
Autopilot is not good.
Many athletes are on autopilot.
Many students are on autopilot.
What we need to do is live moment to moment. We need to stay in the present.
When we play a point in tennis, we should treat it as if it’s the only point we are going to play that day.
When we are working on a project at work, we should treat it as the only thing we are going to do that day.
School, relationships and our nutrition are the same way.
Take a few deep breaths (in through the nose for four seconds and out through the nose for four seconds, from the stomach)
Observe your surroundings.
What are you wearing?
What sounds do you hear?
Notice your posture.
What position are your hands in?
Whatever you do, put all of your attention and awareness towards it. Be fully present.
Try this in everything you do today. See how you feel…
Leave me your comments.
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #774 BELIEVE!!
Yesterday, Melanie Oudin did it again at the US Open.
The 17 year-old from Georgia scored yet another upset, by beating Nadia Petrova.
I hope by reading my blog messages this past week, you are starting to believe that anything is possible on and off the court. Many great players have lost to no-name players. It’s not about the ranking, it’s about who plays better on that day.
In my book, “Game. Set. Life.” I talk about Brad Gilbert’s philosophy, according to Andre Agassi…
“One of the biggest things I’ve gotten from Brad is how to stay in a match when things aren’t going my way. He believes that 5 percent of the time your opponent is in the zone and you won’t win; 5 percent of the time you’re in the zone and you can’t lose. But the other 90 percent of the time, it’s up for grabs; there is a way to win. You’ve got to figure out what that is. And to do that you’ve got to stay positive. You’ve got to believe.”
Melanie Oudin is certainly following that philosophy.
In fact, written on her pink and yellow Adidas Barricade tennis shoes is this…
“BELIEVE”
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #773 I’M IN LOVE WITH A GIRL NAMED KIM…
“I’m not really playing for the money. I just want to go out there and have fun. I really missed it so much…”
-KIM CLIJSTERS
I’m in love with Kim Clijsters. The US Open is only the third tournament of her comeback since becoming a new mother. She last played two and a half years ago.
Now she’s back.
I wasn’t a big fan of hers before her break, but after watching her play and upset Venus Williams yesterday, I am totally in love with her. She’s doing all the right things.
She is going all out.
She is having fun.
She knows it isn’t life or death.
After the match you could see how emotional she was, but also had things in perspective. She didn’t need to win. But she wanted to win.
And Clijsters knew she had a chance. Here is her “tweet” just before her match…
“On our way to the courts now. Feeling excited! There’s been a lot of upsets in the women’s draw, hopefully I can pull one today too!”
I know it’s a bold prediction, but I think that Kim Clijsters will win the US Open.
Time will tell.
Happy Labor Day everyone!
MESSAGE #772 MORE UPSETS IN THE US OPEN…
Yesterday I was at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center for another beautiful day of US Open tennis.
But for some of the top players, it wasn’t so beautiful.
Maria Sharapova lost.
Andy Roddick lost.
Dinara Safina lost.
As I mentioned in yesterday’s message, anything can happen.
In the world of running, Roger Bannister ran a four-minute mile in 1954, after all the experts said it was impossible. Then, thirty-eight people did the same thing the following year.
The same thing is happening now at the 2009 US Open. The youngsters are invading. The underdogs are prevailing. They know they have a chance. And so do the top players.
My condolences to Sharapova, Roddick and Safina. Here are my tips to you…
1. Winners know that a loss is a source of feedback.
2. There is no such thing as failure, only new beginnings.
3. You don’t drown by falling in water, you drown by staying there.
4. A loss is like a knife, it can either serve you or cut you. It’s your choice whether you grasp them by the blade or the handle.
5. Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm.
Tuesday I will be back at the Open bright and early doing tennis trivia in the ticket line with Denise Capriati and giving away a few signed copies of my book, “Game. Set. Life.”
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #771 WINNING…
“The better player doesn’t always win; the player that plays better always wins.”
The fastest horse doesn’t always win the race.
The best team doesn’t always win the game.
Upsets occur all the time in sports and life.
It happened yesterday at the US Open. Eighth-seeded Victoria Azarenka, a three-time title winner on tour this year, lost to Francesca Schiavone.
Schiavone was the twenty-sixth seed.
She had never beaten Azarenka before.
Azarenka was clearly the favorite. She hit ten double-faults. The last one on match point. She proceeded to smash her racquet on the court.
So what does this mean to you?
Anything is possible.
What limiting beliefs do you have? Do you walk on the court thinking you don’t have a chance? Do you go into a test thinking you won’t do well? Do you start a speech and think you’re going to forget your lines?
At some point duing the match yesterday, Schiavone realized she had a chance to win.
And at some point during the match, Azarenka realized she had a chance to lose.
From there, anything can happen…
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #770 A QUOTE FROM ARISTOTLE…
“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over the self.”
-ARISTOTLE
MESSAGE #769 WHAT YOU CAN LEARN FROM A GIRAFFE…
“Fall down seven times, get up eight.”
-Japanese proverb
Life brings you challenges. I experienced a big one this week, but I got through it.
I really like the quote above. It doesn’t matter how many times you fall, or fail. It doesn’t matter how many challenges you face. All that matters is that you get up one more time.
When baby giraffes are born, they sometimes fall ten feet to the ground. If that isn’t tough enough, as the baby giraffe learns to stand, the mother kicks it off its feet. Then, something amazing happens…
As the baby giraffe gets up, she kicks it off its feet again!
Now this may seem cruel, but there’s a reason for it. Baby giraffes in the wild need to get up quickly and stay with the herd, to stay away from predators. It’s a matter of life and death.
In your life you may get kicked down, by certain events, opponents, other people or your own negative thoughts. But this is normal. And it’s not a matter of life and death. Be like that baby giraffe and get back up. Then, after a while, you will be ready to take on anything that comes your way. It’s all in your perspective and reactions. Just be glad you’re not facing lions, hyenas or leopards.
And as a coach, you shouldn’t kick your students, but if you incorporate challenges into your practice sessions, your athletes will perform better in competition. They will be tougher. But make sure they know your philosophy and you use positive reinforcement. Militaristic coaching is a thing of the past.
Now go out and be a giraffe today…
Thanks for reading.
MESSAGE #767 IT’S ALL GOOD…
“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 #765 I’M IN THE US OPEN!!!
“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is more important than the outcome.”
-ARTHUR ASHE
Well, I have a few big days coming up.
I head into NYC today for the USTA Tennis Teachers Conference. I will be speaking alongside industry leaders, such as, Patrick McEnroe, Brad Gilbert, Mary Joe Fernandez and Peter Burwash on Monday. Then, on Tuesday, I will be doing a book signing at the US Open Bookstore just before Billie Jean King.
As I tell my close friends, this is going to be…
Average.
You can’t get too high and you can’t get too low. Everything is a stepping stone to something better. Once you think you’ve made it, you’re done. I will never think I’ve made it. I seek to constantly improve.
Bruce Springsteen was once asked backstage after one of his concerts, how he gave such a great performance every night.
Bruce said, “That’s easy – two things…
#1. Every night I tell myself that this is the most important concert of my my career…and #2…
It’s only rock and roll.
What does this mean? Your effort should be all out, but your attitude should be a little relaxed.
It’s only rock and roll.
It’s only tennis.
It’s only a talk and book signing…
Next blog message from NYC…
Thanks for reading.