DevYou

Swiss tennis super-star Roger Federer is the Michael Jordan of tennis. He’s just amazingly good. Many say he’s the best tennis player of all time.

He’s ranked number one in the world — a rank he has held for more consecutive weeks than any other player in history — and is currently kicking ass once again at the US Open. His career history is jaw-dropping; just take a look at his achievements as detailed on the Roger Federer Wikipedia page.

Watching him play the other night, I began to wonder how the things that drive his success on the tennis court might be applied to our own lives even if the only time we touch a tennis ball might be to throw it for our pooch to fetch.

Calm and Focused Efficiency

When he plays, one of the most striking things is how little energy he seems to expend compared to his (usually doomed) opponent who sweats and breathes hard as he runs around the court, smashing the ball in an attempt to stop the juggernaut across the net. Federer is always calm, efficient, and focused in comparison.

Economy of Motion

Federer has amazing economy of motion. Everything he does on the court is precise and efficient — there’s no wasted energy or motion. Because all his actions are so perfect, and the economy of motion is so profound, he makes it all look easy, effortless.

Equanimity in the Face of Difficulty

Tennis is a deeply psychological game. To win, a player must be solidly “in the zone” — centered and determined. Once the mind goes off course because of self-doubt or negative emotions, it’s over — the critical edge needed to win is lost and defeat looms on the near horizon. Whereas many player’s psychological foundations shake and crumble when the match is going poorly for them, Federer is always in the zone, no matter what’s going on in the match.

Deep Consistency

Perhaps above all else, Federer is deeply consistent. No matter what the score is, no matter what’s going on with his opponent, no matter if the tide of the match is in his favor or not — he is always precisely consistent: how he swings the racket, how he runs, how he positions himself on the court and makes ready for the next shot.

I would love to have this kind of bring all these qualities to many aspects of my life, be they physical, mental, or in the realm of my productivity. Calm and focused efficiency, economy of motion, equanimity in the face of difficulty, and deep consistency.

What are some of the ways you bring these qualities to your life?

This entry was posted on Friday, September 7th, 2007 at 9:05 am and is filed under Emotion, GTD, Mind. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.