Tennis is more than just a sport. For those of you who have a passion in any sort of sports can definitely relate. The game itself and the way to win is rather straight forward, hit the ball across the net and whoever fails will lose the point, game, set and then the match!
Tennis requires focus, belief, determination, practise, luck, stamina and advice from a coach or a partner that allows you to improve. These words sound familiar aren’t they?
These elements can easily be found and applied to your career as well. It depends how you look at it.
New Racket = New Job – Give yourself TIME and take ADVICE from others
When you get yourself a new racket, you will take many swings trying to adjust to the weight, swing path, sweet spot and other areas that affect the way you perform. You may make mistakes along the way and hit balls that are wild out but you will get advice from the coach or fellow players on how to play better.
When you start a new job or there are changes in management, you meet new colleagues,face new system, work with different stakeholders, adapt to your new boss’s leadership style and acquiring new skills while trying to transfer the skills you have learnt previously into your new job At times you may make mistakes, feel under pressure and get upset but your colleagues and your boss will offer you feedback so you will do better next time.
It is all in the MIND
My personal experience with tennis and my job are very much linked. You have to have the right mentality, be well prepared and come up with a solid game plan in order to ace your opponent or defeat your competitor. One step at a time and there are no shortcuts, it is a day in day out thing where you have to maintain the level of consistency.
Why?
It is simple. When luck comes around and you are ready, you will be able to make the most out of it.
In tennis, it will be a dead net cord when a player scores by inadvertently hitting the ball in such a way that it touches the upper cord of the net and rolls over to the other side.
At workplace, it will be in the form of having a good network of connections to help you speedup the discussion process to close the deal or your direct competitor happens to go out of business.
“If you put in the right effort, the reward will come” – Roger Federer