Life Lessons From Tennis
A few weeks ago, I started taking tennis lessons with my ten year old daughter. She’s been wanting to learn and we found a terrific teacher so when she asked me if I’d learn with her, I jumped on the court. Little did I know that in addition to learning a new game that I’d love, I’d take away some terrific things that I could apply to my coaching and my own life as well.
LESSON #1: BE A CREATIVE PLAYER - NOT A REACTIVE PLAYER
In tennis, this is about building confidence to take control and create your shot rather than constantly reacting and chasing. It’s being on the offense rather than defense. I’m still in the “just don’t miss the ball and hit it over the net into the blue” phase of tennis - but I look forward to the day that I’m a creative player.
Think about your life - are you winning on your terms or are you just playing not to lose? Which one sounds better? Get creative. Start thinking about what it would look like to win on your terms.
LESSON #2: KEEP YOUR EYE ON THE BALL UNTIL IT HITS THE STRINGS
In tennis, keep your eye on the ball. In life, keep your eye on the goal.
LESSON #3: BREATHE
I held my breath for the entire first half of our first lesson. Even when my coach told me to breathe, I still held my breath. It wasn’t until he equated it with breathing out like in boxing that I got the idea…and as soon as I started to breathe, I started hitting the ball my game improved significantly. In my life, when I remember to breathe, my game improves significantly. Duh.
LESSON #4: MUSCLE MEMORY TAKES A WHILE TO CORRECT - BE PATIENT
I haven’t played a whole lot of tennis in my life. At summer camp when I was 12 and at a tennis clinic during my kids spring break this past April. That tennis clinic taught me how to do my forehand ALLLLLL WRONG. So when I started lessons, no matter what I thought I was telling my body to do, I kept going back to the old habit of breaking my wrist on the swing. I think I probably set the record for most balls hit over the fence in a single hour - 3 lessons in a row! My coach reminded me that old habits die hard. It would take a while. He made me hit what felt like a million times each lesson - we went over the stroke again and again and again. My wrist killed and I knew I was doing it all wrong…it was frustrating as hell. BUT. At the very end of our most recent lesson, my body started to listen to what my mind was telling it! Not on every swing, but on some. It’s a start…the patience is paying off.
Your brain is a muscle also. Your neural pathways are like a roadway of nerve cells that deliver messages to your brain. Travel a road enough times and a mental habit is formed. In other words, the thoughts you’ve been telling yourself over and over and over again die hard. It takes a lot of consciousness and repetition to form new thought patterns, to start to think in different ways that will serve your life better. Be patient. Be consistent. It will pay off.
LESSON #5: YOU CAN ALWAYS START SOMETHING NEW - NO MATTER HOW OLD YOU ARE.
No explanation necessary…
So tell me - where are you playing to win in your life? Where do you want to do it more? And what’s the new muscle memory you’re looking to strengthen?