From Tennis to Everything You Do in Life

With over 20 years playing tennis, I thought I could never be as good as the ones I had dreamed of. I am not even talking of stars such as Federer and Nadal, but more realistic ones such as the player who was nearly 20 years older than me but beat me in straight sets.

However, recent things have changed my perception. And now, more than ever, I believe I can beat the top guns inside my playing circle, and even some good players in the city. What have changed? It all started from a new coach and new perspective.

This new coach, let’s call him Eric, is not even a good coach by popular judgment. A tennis buddy even warned me that Eric is a good player, but doesn’t have a clue about coaching. Terrible, I was warned.

But hey, there is no deny about Eric being the No.1 player inside the Tennis Club, I believe that there must be something that Eric has that I can learn from. So I signed up. And I have seen changes kept coming ever since.

Eric has no mercy; he doesn’t treat trainees like trainees, but professional players in training. Eric believe that everyone can be equally qualified to be playing tennis just as well as him, if they put the right amount of practice, right attitude and never give up and give in.

I immediately felt the difference of the perspective change in my tennis. I was thrilled by the feeling of hitting the balls like a pro, the desire to improve, the determination to keep going even I was ready to collapse, and in return, the tangible improvement pushes me to move forward further and further.

Eric is not only bad at pleasing you so you will feel good about yourself, at the expenses of releasing your full potential and achieving the maximum goals, he is also bad at saving people’s face. “Where is your stamina?” “Your forms mess up”, he would say, to your face, so you will correct right away.

Coaches like Eric are not for everyone; you do have to stomach constructive suggestions, to-you-face comments and everything in between.

It has been going on for two months; I still have a long way to go towards my goal of beating the local stars with flying colors.

Do you have such a coach in your life that can motivate you to constantly improve?

Let me leave one quote with you, “You stop playing not because you become old, you become old because you stop playing.”