Have I shared with you that I play USTA tennis, competitively? But more so, last week I played singles. And…Guess what! I won!
That may not seem like a big deal, except that the last time I played singles in USTA was four years ago. Due to being defeated so badly and actually losing my ranking, I chose not to play singles and swore I would never play singles again competitively. But, that was four years ago. A lot has changed in four years. I have also learned a great deal about myself in the last four years.
In the last two years alone, I have been working on a growth mindset. What is a growth mindset you may ask? A growth mindset is the opportunity to look at possibilities and at times to accept challenges. It is also the opportunity to be curious and to learn from failures. For instance, though I love sports and I love playing sports, I hate working out. Yet, last March I purchased a Peloton. My peloton bike is placed in view of my bedroom. It teases me to ride it every morning and dares me, challenges me and invites me to see what is possible in my work out each day. Little did I know last March that through that workout I would become much quicker and more agile on the courts. My muscles would not hurt after a difficult match, well…at least not as badly.
What was different this time? I planned and prepared this time to play singles again. This is something I did not realize I needed four years ago. How did I prepare myself, you may ask? I went to the experts – Seasoned Singles players on my team who took the time to coach me, play against me and provide me valuable pointers on how to go the distance. Through well-timed lobs and drop shots, I created the timing to position myself for each play. I was patient, a characteristic I have to work on, and I didn’t look for the put away shot right away. I slowed down the play and evaluated my opponent. I focused on the present, not dwelling on past shots. Most importantly, I utilized humor and self talk to motivate myself to go the distance. In two sets, I defeated the season player 6- 3 and 7-5. Most importantly, when the match was close, this strategy helped me persevere, pushing my resilience to not give up. I stayed the course.
All the techniques I used in tennis are who I am striving to be every day. My first goal is to be present in situations and conversations. My awareness of others empowers them and makes me better.
The ability to evaluate and look at each situation to bring out my best self has truly changed who I am. To work towards patience, humor, and resilience are the cornerstones I strive for each day. Am I perfect at this? Absolutely not. But guess what? I have the rest of my life to work on this and take each moment, day by day, to play my best shot and be my best self. This is what I bring to coaching conversations to empower strategies for others, whether it’s finding the best dream college or maneuvering critical life changes, such as empty-nesting, retirement, or career change. I look forward to your call if this article motivates you to find your best put away shot.
