I’ve recently become addicted to tennis. Originally I was forced to play by my wife, who needed someone to practice with, and my son who at the age of 10 has decided he wants to be the next John McEnroe. But now I love the game and my goal is to be the first unranked 40+ man to win the U.S. Open.
In my pursuit of greatness I’ve taken a few lessons and when playing I try to implement what I’ve learned. I tell myself:
Keep the racket low.
Move the feet.
Bend the knees.
Rotate the hips.
Low to high.
Follow through.
Don’t pass out.
One day I thought I was doing everything right and yet I still wasn’t hitting the ball well. What am I doing wrong? I asked myself in frustration. I thought of all the advice I had shared in Training Camp, and laughed as I realized I had overlooked the obvious.
I was doing everything but keeping my eye on the ball. I was so caught up in trying to do everything else that I forgot the most important part of the game.
I know I’m not alone. I see it happen all the time in businesses, in schools, in sports and in life.
Distractions cause us to lose our focus. We allow the trivial to get in the way of the meaningful. Busyness and stress keep us from developing the relationships that are crucial to building a winning career and team. We fret about the past, worry about the future and take our focus off of the present.
Bombarded by information and distractions we forget what is truly important. We focus on the outcome instead of the process and wonder why we miss our targets. We focus on everything else except the ball.
Today I want to encourage you to keep your eye on the ball. Get back to the basics. Focus on the fundamentals. Remember what really matters. Identify the simple principles and actions that are crucial to your success at work and at home.
Simplify, Focus, Execute.
I played tennis yesterday for three hours. My body was tired and my feet were killing me. But I kept telling myself keep your eye on the ball. I played the best I’ve ever played. Keeping my eye on the ball helped me take my game to a new level. I know it will help you do the same.
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