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MESSAGE #523

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Melissa Thurston in Boston.

“Success is not due to some genius or some magic. It is generally due to holding on, failing to let go. You decide to learn a language, to become a pianist, to reach a goal in business, to become a better human being.

Will you succeed or fail? It depends on how much pluck and perseverance you put behind your decision. The decision that nothing can conquer, the grip that nothing can detach brings success. The Chinese have a saying for it: With time and patience, the mulberry leaf becomes satin.”
-author unknown


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MESSAGE #522

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“The purpose of life is not to be happy-but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, to have it make some difference that you lived at all.”
-LEO ROSTEN

MESSAGE #521 DON’T WORRY ABOUT WHAT OTHERS THINK…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Fred Weiland.

Don’t worry about what others think of you.

Instead, focus on what is right for you. If you feel in your heart that it is the right thing to do, it is in line with your purpose, and it does not hurt others or yourself, then do it! Too many people worry about what others think…

BE YOURSELF! DO WHAT’S RIGHT!

“You wouldn’t care what people thought of you if you knew how seldom they did.”-author unknown

“When you’re 20, you care what everyone thinks. When you’re 40, you don’t care what anyone thinks. When you’re 60, you realize that no one’s been thinking about you at all.”-author unknown


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MESSAGE #520 HOW TO KEEP YOUR RESOLUTION…

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What is your New Year’s Resolution?

I guarantee that I can help anyone stick to their resolution, as long as it is realistic.

Do you want to lose weight? Exercise more? Quit smoking? Learn how to cook? Save money? Study more?

The experts say that it takes doing something for 21 days to make it a habit, then instead of a “have to,” it becomes a “want to.”

If you read my book, “Game. Set. Life.” I talk about setting and attaining goals, but that’s not my point today.

Here’s how you can keep your resolution…

Email me and tell me what your specific resolution is. Then, you will write a check for $1,000 and make it payable to an organization that you despise (ie., the Red Sox if you’re a Yankee fan or the Republican Party if you’re a Democrat). I will hang on to the check. If you stick to your resolution for six months, I will give you the check back, but if you don’t, I will mail the check.

It’s as simple as that. It’s not that you CAN’T lose weight. It’s not that you CAN’T save money…

The truth is that you haven’t made it important enough. Losing $1,000 to the Red Sox to a Yankee fan is more painful than working out four days a week.

So if you really want to stick to your resolutions, I can help you.

Remember, it’s not CAN you, but WILL you…


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #519 6 TIPS FOR SUCCESS

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to Robert Gibson.

“1. Stress improvement, not perfection (or winning). 2. Don’t take yourself too seriously; laugh at yourself and have fun. 3. Set attainable goals; reach them and then set higher ones. 4. Be positive, walk tall, smile often, don’t complain or procrastinate. 5. Prepare purposely, but don’t over train. 6. Remember-Sports is a game and meant to be enjoyable.”
-DICK GOULD, Stanford University tennis

MESSAGE #518 PROCRASTINATION…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Ian Rubel.

What are you putting off doing?

Getting gas? Studying? Doing the dishes? Taking guitar lessons? Saving money?

“Oh, I’ll get to that tomorrow.”

We all talk a big game, but very few of us take action. The best ideas are often lost because of inaction.

Margaret Thatcher once said, look at some of your most satisfying days and you will see that they were not the ones that you sat around doing nothing but ones where you had so much to do and accomplished it all.

You may be putting something off because it may be a pain to do, but the truth is, if you postpone it, the pain will be even greater.

Here are some great quotes on the topic…

“Genius is the ability to put into effect what is in your mind.”
-F. SCOTT FITZGERALD

PROCRASTINATION CLUB MOTTO:
“We’re behind you all the way.”

“My parents told me I’d never amount to anything because I procrastinated too much. I told them, ‘Just you wait.’ “
-JUDY TENUTA, comedian

“A small amount of action is exponentially more powerful than the greatest idea.”
-ED TSENG

Think less, do more!


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #517 FOCUS ON THE RIGHT THINGS…

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Have you ever felt the pressure of a big match? A job interview? An important exam?

Most people focus on that pressure when it arises. Then it gets worse and before you know it, that is all you can think about. How do you think these people perform? Not very well.

When the pressure’s on, you have to step it up. Focus on your strategy instead of your potential result. This will help you stay calm and perform at a higher level.

Here’s what tennis legend Rod Laver once said…

“Wipe everything out of your mind but the ball. Glue your eyes to it. Marry it. Never mind your opponent, the weather, or anything. Make that ball an obsession. If you can get yourself into that trance, pressure won’t intrude. It’s just you and the ball.”
-tennis Grand Slam winner ROD LAVER


Register today for the Sports Psychology event of the year on Feb 21, 2009 in Princeton, NJ with Ed Tseng and John F. Murray. Email for a flyer and registration form.

MESSAGE #516 SOURCES OF MOTIVATION…

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In this month’s tennis magazine there is a great article on Rafael Nadal and how he became so successful. His coach, Toni Nadal spoke on Rafa’s sources of motivation…

“These are based on two things: First of all, his mental ability, just the way he is. Second, he has been working very hard since he was a kid. We practiced with some bad balls, bad court, bad bounces. So he learned. When something goes wrong for him, he doesn’t blame the court, the bounce or the strings. He always blame himself for not doing better. So now he’s a very tough person. Tough on himself. It helps him be stronger, mentally.”

If you want to be like the great ones, you need to think like the great ones and do what they do. Your physical skills take a while to develop, but you can instantly improve today by having a winning mindset and giving your all in everything you do.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #514 THANKS-LIVING…

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Thanksgiving leads to having more to give thanks for.

Thanksgiving is a creative force that, if lived on a continuous basis and not just for one day each year, will create more good in your life and more to be thankful for. Perhaps we could call this the life of thanksliving. Thanksliving is an attitude of perpetual gratitude that will draw good to you. It is based on the premise that “thanksgiving leads to having more to give thanks for.” We have the power to create whatever we need in our life and this power, available to each of us because it lies within us, is the power of the mind.

Let’s look at three ways to practice thanksliving. The first way is to search for the good and praise it. We tend to attract that which we give our attention to. Where your attention goes, your energy flows. A good idea can get even better as its possibilities for greater good are explored. The more good you can see and praise, the more you direct creative energy to positive results. Even in situations that at first appear difficult or unpleasant, see all the good you can. And bless the good you can see. Praise the good and watch it multiply.

(From Discovering the Laws of Life by John Marks Templeton)

Check back tomorrow for the second and third ways you can practice thanksliving…


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #513 BACK HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS…

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First of all, a very Merry Christmas for all of you celebrating.

It is 2:34AM on December 25th and I just got back from my amazing Australia and New Zealand trip. I had a wonderful time and met some great people like magician and Houdini expert, Bernard Reid (pictured above with me and the great Melissa Sapio). If you recall, I did not post a message on December 9th because I was crossing the international date line and never experienced December 9, 2008. And my intention was to give you two blog entries for the December 24th because I actually experienced it twice, but our flight was delayed and didn’t get home in time.

Some say that this is the most wonderful time of the year.

Many people like the holidays because they receive gifts. Others enjoy it because they get to give gifts.

My family decided long ago not to exchange gifts with each other (except for the kids) and instead we spend time together.

So if Santa doesn’t bring you what you want this year, don’t worry because they is still plenty to be grateful for.

Here are a few things on my gratitude list:

My friends
My family
My health
My dog
My car
My computer
My house
My clothes
My food
My opportunity to play/teach tennis
My opportunity to help others
My blog readers
My life.

When you focus less on wanting more possessions, and more on being grateful for all the wonderful things you already have, your whole world changes.

Life is beautiful…are you noticing?

Thanks for reading.