Why Tennis Begins with "Love": Wisdom from championship tennis translatable to all of life: (Inspired by an NPR interview I heard recently with Billy Jean King). • Only be concerned with the future to the extent that you take time, in the present, to visualize what kind of person you want to be when the inevitable things we cannot control, and are often difficult or challenging, actually happen. (In tennis: it rains, you get a bad line call, etc.) • Be aware of who you are in the in-between times, when you are not in the presence of someone else, when you are alone. Who we are matters when we are not “seen.” Perhaps this is most truly who we are, when no one is watching. (In tennis: How you carry yourself on the court when you are not hitting the ball matters.) • Focus on that which you can control: yourself. Take complete responsibility for your actions; do not try to interpret the actions or intentions of others; seek to be proactive, not reactive; do not try to impress or intimidate others. (In tennis: Do not think beyond your side of the net.) • Visualize your dreams and then put every ounce of your energy into manifesting them. Be completely focused and present as you do so. See exactly where you want to go in life, and go for it. (In tennis: Be fully present when you serve; how you serve sets the tone for the point. When receiving, anticipate where you want to place your return. See it before it happens.) • Choose worthy opponents, people who can help you to step up your game to the next level. The best friends are the ones who challenge us and who expect us to grow enough to beat them at their own games. That way, they become stronger too. When you feel anger in the presence of someone, use the anger to fuel your own growth, instead of directing it at the other person. (In tennis: King versus Riggs, in 1973, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3)
Posted on: Sat, 14 Sep 2013 17:11:10 +0000
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015