In Episode #5 of the Peak Performance Podcast, I interview former world #7 tennis player and Olympic Silver medalist, Tim Mayotte. In this exclusive interview, Tim and I chat about:
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One thing that I have learned here in Orlando talking to some great coaches and mental toughness experts is this…
Champions are not normal.
They don’t have normal brains.
Lorenzo Beltrame shared a story about when he beat Pete Sampras twice on clay during a training session. He didn’t know how to console “Pistol” but before he could think of something, Pete said “This is great! I feel like I’m playing well and ready!”
That is not normal.
And last night I spent some time with Mark Dickson, former World #32, who has beaten Lendl and was even Agassi’s doubles partner. He was telling me about the days leading up to his match with Lendl, then #1 in the world. He visualized his strategy every day and EXPECTED to beat him. In his mind, he thought, “I can’t believe I’m going to beat the World #1.” And then he did in 45 minutes. I asked Dickson if he ever went into a match thinking he didn’t have a chance. He said “No.” And when he did lose, he thought, “What a great learning experience!”
That is not normal!
Well today I will be wrapping up a great 2.5 days at the Human Performance Institute and heading back home. Next stop, Philadelphia!
Have a great day everyone!
Homework: Don’t be normal today.
In this video blog, Ed reports from the Caesars Tennis Classic in Atlantic City, New Jersey with Andy Roddick, Marat Safin, Ivan Lendl, Mats Wilander, Pete Sampras and Venus Williams.
Today’s message is especially dedicated to the great Ian Rubel.
Recently, I have spent quite a bit of time with Bob Ryland, the first black professional tennis player. In our conversations, we talk about playing and teaching tennis, the experiences he’s gone through, and life.
Mr. Ryland has seen it all. He lived through segregation before Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. He has coached some of the best players in the world. Earlier this week, Bob and I were sitting at his kitchen table in his apartment overlooking the New York City skyline when he told me the secret.
“You gotta work hard. If you want to become as good as the Williams sisters, you have to train like the Williams sisters. They are not more talented than everyone else, they just work harder. And don’t give up.”
So you have to put in the work. There is no substitute. Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. There’s plenty of talented people out there, but it’s the ones that work hard and keep going that succeed.
“Arthur Ashe wasn’t a great player. I wasn’t a great player. Ivan Lendl wasn’t a great player. We just worked hard,” said Mr. Ryland.
Pete Sampras said the accomplishment he is most proud of is finishing number one in the world, six years in a row. He said, “To me, greatness lies in going out there day after day and getting the job done.”
So work hard at practice, at work, at school, but remember something else that Bob Ryland said…
“Have fun!”
Thanks for reading.