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MESSAGE #487 HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT LEVEL IN SPORTS AND LIFE…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to Adina Schicchi.

How can you get to the next level?

Well, let me ask you this…

Who is your team? Now, I’m not just talking about a sports team. I’m talking about a work team. A relationship team. A friendship team.

Do you surround yourself with people who support you? Who push you? All the successful people in the world have a good team around them. I’m motivated, but I still have great people around me so I can stay motivated. And it’s a team, so we motivate each other.

Maybe this story will help paint a better picture…

The rich father gathered the young men around a swimming pool filled with alligators. He promised his daughter in marriage, a sports car, two oil wells, and a top position in his company to anyone who had the courage and skill to swim across the pool.

Immediately, a young man splashed in and swam like blazes to the other side. The crowd went wild, clapping and cheering as the hero made it across. The rich father ran to his side, congratulated him, then asked, “Which prize do you want first?”

“First,” the young man sputtered, “I want the name of the guy who pushed me into the pool!”


We all need a push sometimes. There are things we don’t even know we’re capable of until we get out of our comfort zones.

So look at your team around you and see if they’re pushing you forward or keeping you back.

Start to get comfortable being uncomfortable.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #485 A NIGHT TO REMEMBER…

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Former NYC Mayor David Dinkins shows his “Game. Set. Life.” spirit at the Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Fundraiser.


Justin Gimelstob and James Blake


Bob Ryland, the first black professional tennis player


Junior Clinic


The Juniors and Celebrities

The Harlem Junior Tennis and Education Program (www.harlemjuniortennis.org) started back in 1972 and their motto is, “Not just a program – a way of life.”
Yesterday, I stopped by their annual fundraiser to donate a copy of my book to the program and to take some photos and interview some people for my blog.

Katrina Adams is the executive director, and she says, “We use tennis as a vehicle to get kids to go to college.”

The fundraiser included a one-hour junior clinic, a cocktail reception, with silent and live auction and a celebrity exhibition.
James Blake was there. Justin Gimelstob was there. Bob Ryland, the first black professional tennis player was there. Former NYC Mayor David Dinkins was there.
I spent some time with each of these great individuals.
I asked James Blake how he felt about the event and program.
“I love it. It’s where I used to play and the volunteers truly make it special. I’ve been coming back for seven or eight years now. I see some familiar faces and some new faces. This program is really about life. You learn to compete, improve, set goals, and work hard.”
Justin Gimelstob added, “This is my first year and the Blake brothers are really doing a great thing here. They’re really giving back. The student athletes in this program are learning about success and failure, how to overcome adversity, and it’s quite an opportunity.”
*Note: James and Thomas Blake both went through this program and went on to Harvard.
Bob Ryland, now 88, was the first black professional tennis player. Prior to turning pro at age 35, he was the #1 ranked player in the
ATA (American Tennis Association), which was for black tennis players. At age 14, the great Arthur Ashe said, “I just want to be as good as Bob Ryland.” Ryland has coached the Williams sisters, Bill Cosby, Tony Bennett, Barbara Streisand, and Dustin Hoffman, among others. I asked him if he thought the Williams sisters were more talented than everyone else and Ryland responded, in his soft voice, “I don’t think they were more talented than everyone else, they just worked harder.” Ryland feels that the Harlem Tennis and Education Program is a great opportunity for the kids and it gives them options that he never had growing up.
I also had a great conversation with former NYC Mayor, David Dinkins. “I am very enthused about this event. They are doing very important work here. Some of these children could grow up and become the next James Blake, or get a scholarship for college. But the main benefit of this program is to make all of them better people; it’s about life lessons.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Also participating, were Thomas Blake, Kristie Ahn, Gail Brodsky, Gail Marquis, of the silver medal 1976 US Basketball team, and David Graham.
I left the event inspired, motivated, and in awe because I gave James Blake, Justin Gimelstob, Katrina Adams, Bob Ryland and Mayor Dinkins my autograph (inside “Game. Set. Life.”).
Thanks for reading.
BE SURE TO CHECKOUT “GAME. SET. LIFE.” IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE OF INSIDE TENNIS MAGAZINE (p 34).

MESSAGE #484

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“Life is full of hill…Some days it’s uphill…some days it’s downhill…mostly it’s side hill.”
-CHARLIE BROWN, in a “Peanuts” cartoon

MESSAGE #483

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“If you always put limits on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”
-BRUCE LEE

“That which we persist in doing becomes easier – not that the nature of the task has changed, but our ability to do has increased.”
-RALPH WALDO EMERSON

“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”
-HENRY DAVID THOREAU

“Strength does not come from winning. Your struggles develop your strength. When you go through hardship and decide not to surrender, that is strength.”
-ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER


The quotes above are from Renita Kalhorn, peak performance specialist’s website (http://www.intheflowcoaching.com/).

I try to help others improve.

But I, also, want to improve…

DO YOU?



Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #482 YOUR SELF-IMAGE…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Tocoloshi Zim in the UK.

How do you see yourself?

Do you think you are capable of becoming a great athlete, son/daughter, employee, musician, husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend?

Here’s a secret…

You can only get as high as your self-image.

If you think you are on the right track, and have the belief that you can do good things and attain greatness, you have the right mindset.

Let me explain it this way…

A new salesperson was given a one-hundred-square mile radius in which to sell tennis racquets. The first year, he generated $20,000 worth of business. The company was so pleased that they doubled the salesperson’s area the next year. But, the salesperson still only sold $20,000 worth of tennis racquets. The company was not happy, so they cut his area to half of its original size. That year the salesperson still sold $20,000 worth of racquets.

Why did this happen?

Because the salesperson had a $20,000-a-year self-concept, or self-image.

Sports, relationships, and school work the same way…

So you can only get as high as your self-image.

Remember, there are two types of people in the world. The two-percenters and the 98-percenters.

The two-percenters are all the successful people in the world.

The 98-percenters are everyone else.

The difference between the two is that the 98-percenters wait until they do something great, or win a tournament before they act like winners.

The two-percenters acted like winners before they ever won anything.

Act like the person you want to become and pretty soon you will become the person that you are acting like.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #481 A MENTAL TOUGHNESS TEST…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Colette Lewis.

Here is a mental toughness test…

Imagine this:

You’re in your house. You open the door to the bathroom and suddenly, you see that the faucet is on and the sink is overflowing with water! There is a puddle on the floor!

What do you do?

Do you…

A) Go get a mop

or

B) Turn the faucet off

Correct answer: B) Turn the faucet off.

See, many times in sports and life, we try to just “mop” our problems up, but guess what? Then our mental sink keeps filling up, doesn’t it?

Do you want to live your entire life like that?

So if your strategy isn’t working, try a different one, because there are many options and solutions – you just have to choose the best one.

Now go turn that faucet off and have a great day!


Thanks for reading.

Checkout Colette Lewis’ review of “Game. Set. Life.” on Zoo Tennis…
http://tenniskalamazoo.blogspot.com/

MESSAGE #479

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great DeSean Fennell…congratulations on your recent tournament win!

“Give to the world the best you have
And the best will come back to you.”
-Catharine Wright

“There is real magic in enthusiasm. It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.”
-Norman Vincent Peale

“Happiness is the only good,
The time to be happy is now.
The place to be happy is here,
The way to be happy is to make others so.”
-Bob Ingersoll

“It doesn’t do any harm to dream, providing you get up and hustle when the alarm goes off.”
-author unknown

“The tragedy of life doesn’t lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach.”
-Benjamin E. Mays

“Any goal is attainable if you believe it is, and you do a little bit every day to get closer to that goal.”
-Ed Tseng


Thanks for reading.

Be sure to checkout Ed Tseng and “Game. Set. Life.” in Sports Illustrated… http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_wertheim/11/18/tennis.mailbag/2.html

MESSAGE #478 CHOICES…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Sandy Zio…Happy Birthday to a rock star!

I like to think that I have some important messages on my blog, in my book, and when I give motivational talks. But those important messages are nothing if you don’t do anything about them – if you don’t take action.

K – A = O (Knowledge minus Action equals Nothing)

Let me explain in a story…

A violin virtuoso living in America truly believed that he could play so well that he could actually charm a savage beast. Despite the warnings and pleas of his friends, he decided he would go to the jungles of Africa, unarmed, with only his violin to protect him. He stood in a clearing in the dense jungle and began to play. An elephant picked up his scent, and came charging toward him; but when he came within hearing distance, he sat down to listen to the beautiful music.

A hungry cat sprang from a tree with fangs bared but it, too, succumbed to the music. Soon a lion appeared to join the others. Before long, many wild beasts were seated near the virtuoso. He played on, unharmed.

Just then a leopard leaped from a nearby tree onto the violinist, and devoured him! As he stood licking his chops, the other animals approached, and asked, “Why did you do that? The man was playing such lovely music!”

The leopard, cupping his ear, said, “Eh, what’d you say?”

So it doesn’t matter what I put on this blog, if you don’t start to apply it to your own life. Don’t think about it…just do it.

Thanks for reading.

Looking for the perfect stocking stuffer?

Order “Game. Set. Life.” today… http://www.amazon.com/Game-Set-Life-Performance-Sports/dp/1419654756

Register now for the sports psychology event of the year on February 21, 2009. John F. Murray, noted sports psychologist and Ed Tseng will be conducting a half-day seminar at CanDo Fitness – Princeton. Email for details.

MESSAGE #476 WHAT I LIKE ABOUT MYSELF…

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Today’s message is especially dedicated to Jon Heitmann, assistant principal at Glen Ridge High School in New Jersey.

Do you know what I like about myself?

I love learning. I love improving. I have a growth mindset. I don’t feel that there is a limit as to how skilled I can get in sports, business, relationships or any area of life.

Yesterday I watched a DVD of a motivational speaker. I figure if I could get one thing out of it, to help me improve, it would be worth it. Though I didn’t feel that it was a particularly good program, I did walk away with one new thing and I also learned what not to do.

By watching videos like that, I know that I am not just in my job, I am into my job. I feel like I haven’t worked in years.

Now I know what you’re thinking, “Ed, but you’re different.”

Guess what? I’m not different. I wasn’t always like this. I used to hate reading. My grades were only average in high school. I failed out of college…twice.

But now I have found my passion and know my goals, so every day I do a little bit to get closer to those goals.

Do what you love and love what you do. Love learning and love improving. Become a little better every day. It doesn’t matter where you are, what matters is where you want to go.

You can do it…trust me, I know from experience.


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #475 TOUGHNESS…

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Are you tough?

What do you do when the pressure’s on?

The losers think, “I’m nervous, I don’t like this situation.”…and perform poorly.

The winners think, “I’m nervous, bring it on…let’s go!”…and reach peak performance.

When the pressure’s on, it’s your perception of the situation that will pull you through.

“Success is never found. Failure is never fatal. Courage is the only thing.”
-Sir Winston Churchill


Thanks for reading.