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Some months will just be coffee chats and some months I might write an essay. I want to be respectful of your inbox and only arrive in it when I feel like the content will add some value. This obviously does not mean I am not hanging out on the internet. If you miss hearing from me, come say Hi on Twitter!
Now on to today’s post…
Recently an old classmate reached out to me. She had heard my chat with the Network Capital team where amongst other things I talk about the impact that Tennis has had in shaping me. She remembered how back in high school I had declined a party invitation because I had Tennis practice that evening. She mentioned how at that moment her mother was so immersed with my discipline that she was convinced that I would end up doing well for myself.
A lot of people just assumed I would end up playing Tennis professionally. If you would have met me back then I would have probably said the same thing. Between age 10 and 17 I was sure that the only thing I wanted to do with my life was play Tennis. Why did I not do that? It was a mix of introspection (Not good enough to win grand slams) and circumstances (with 3 hours of Tennis everyday I still managed to “top my school” in the 12th board exams - everyone including my coaches urged me to think of a more conventional career).
It was a pretty interesting moment in my life. I got admission into the best commerce college in India and came face to face with my first big failure - Rashi, the failed Tennis player.
At that point I did not realize it but Rashi - the failed Tennis player would be the reason why I would go on to experience some sort of success in the traditional work world. Tennis has had an outsized impact in shaping me.
And no I am not going to talk about the clichés around discipline or resilience. Yes, playing Tennis competitively teaches you that but then so do a bazillion other things.
I want to talk about some things which are unique to Tennis (or another individual sport maybe).
These are the 7 key lessons that Tennis taught me:
1) You have to take responsibility for your actions
I started playing Tennis as a 10 year old and I remember my coach telling me "During a match the choices that you make are yours and yours alone. And because you made those choices you must also get comfortable with the idea of taking full responsibility for the eventual result."
2) You have to accept defeat without shifting the blame
Unlike a team sport, in Tennis there is no team mate to shift the blame to.
You lost or won because of how you played. Period.
3) You need to be comfortable making decisions for yourself
There is no conversation with a coach or a team mate when you are in the thick of things. You practice for all situations and circumstances but on game day you are alone.
You need to know how to think through scenarios and make decisions for yourself.
4) You have learn to perform in the public eye
When you are playing all eyes are on you (& well your opponent). There is nobody to hide behind. It teaches you how to manage the demons in your head and thrive under pressure!
5) Your last success or failure does not matter, what matters is what you do next
You need to forget about the last point because what happened does not determine what can happen.
You need to take each point as is. If you've won the first few points or games, well done, but the match isn't over . If you have lost the first few points or games, does not matter, the match isn’t over.
6) You have to get comfortable with the idea of losing
You lose more than you win. Nobody can play a Tennis match and not experience losing. Even Serena Williams and Roger Federer lose points. You have got to be unfazed by failure in the moment. The nature of the sport is such that you will lose multiple points, a few games and maybe a set (or two) throughout the course of a match that you can ultimately win.
7) You have to put in the grunt work
Tennis requires an enormous amount of training. You have to spend months honing basic strokes before you are ready to play against an opponent. I have spend weeks just working on my serve. It taught me how important it is to do the boring not so sexy grunt work that we all need to do behind the scenes so that when we get our moment we can make it look effortless. Most people who are overnight successes have been working for that moment for years.
Given that Tennis has had such a significant impact on me, my old classmate asked me if I would want baby T to grow up and play Tennis. I have been thinking about this a lot recently.
A big reason why I found Tennis was because my parents never pushed their hobbies / interests on me. They let me discover something that spoke to me.
That is what I want to do for Baby T.
I do not want to become a mom who tries to live her unfulfilled dreams through her child. I want T to find her own thing.
Of course I will introduce her to Tennis. The sport has been nothing but wonderful to me and I would be thrilled if she falls in love with it too (plus I get a hitting partner). But if she does not like it, no problem. We will move to the next thing.
I would love to hear from you, feedback is always welcome!
Disclaimer: All views expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer
Very apt and relatable. Skills learnt on the playing field helped me immensely in starting my second innings after hanging my boots as a professional athlete.
Very well articulated! Your pieces keep getting better!