I love sports and the sport I love best is tennis. I don’t know why. I was never a very good player but there’s something about the grace and power, the dogged persistence and mastery that captivate me.
With the U.S. Open here in Flushing, New York in full swing, I’ve settled in for two wonderful weeks of entertainment—and, yes, education. You could even say personal growth. The way players react to wins and losses, how they handle pressure and “big points,” and the unbelievable shots they make not only inspire me but also offer pointers that I can use in my everyday life. Here are 5 life lessons that tennis has taught me.
1. Dig deep. Never give up.
The game of life is much like a tennis match. There are times when you’re winning, and times when things just don’t seem to go your way. But champions take both in stride. They don’t crumble if they’re in a slump or behind by a set or two. They just keep slugging away. So when life doesn’t seem to be cooperating with your dreams and desires, keep plugging away. If you give it your best, you’re bound to find success.
2. Know when to step up and make the most of an opportunity.
Top contenders may bat the ball back and forth game after game but in crucial situations (say it’s 5-4 with their opponent serving to tie it up. If they break serve, they win the set ), they may sense an opening and capitalize on it. So remember, opportunities will come your way and when they do, seize them!
3. Confidence shows.
In a match, it can become very apparent if a player is losing steam or losing heart. That nonverbal communication gives their opponent a distinct advantage. Whether you believe in yourself or not is also very apparent in work situations and relationships. It’s a critical factor in success because if you don’t believe in yourself, why should anyone else? If you are filled with negative self-talk or self-doubt, consider ways of changing these bad habits: positive affirmations, therapy, visualization, prayer and guided imagery, alone or in any combination, can help you turn around not only your self-esteem but your life.
4. Conditioning can make a difference.
On Tuesday, August 31, Novak Djokovic, a 23-year-old Serbian who’s currently ranked third in the world played a fellow Serb, Viktor Troicki. Troicki had Djokovic on the ropes, ahead in the match two sets to one. They played a very tight fourth match and Troicki could have won the match but he simply lost steam. Health and fitness play a big part in performance in other areas. If you’re out of shape or overweight, your energy level is probably lower than it could be. Many of us have stressful jobs and staying in shape helps keep us healthy, more energetic, in a better frame of mind and better able to take on challenges that we find in work and elsewhere in our life.
5. You can always improve something.
No matter if you are on top of your game, there’s always something you can do to be even better. Rafael Nadal, a young Spaniard, is currently number one in the world but even he has room to improve. Trained for the most part on clay, the hard courts of the U.S. Open give him trouble. He’s also not had the fastest or most powerful serve, although he’s been working on that aspect of his game. The lesson: Even the best can get better, so never rest on your laurels—or your tush. Take on the next challenge, climb the next hill. You’ll probably surprise yourself at how far you can go!
