What tennis players can teach us about climbing mountains

Love him or hate him, we need to admit that Novak Djokovic is a sporting genius. This past weekend he captured the French Open for the second time, making it his 19th Grand Slam singles victory – only one behind Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. What made this victory so impressive was not only the fact that he came back from two sets down on two occasions to win the championship, but he also became the first person ever to defeat Nadal twice at Roland Garros. A venue where Rafa has only lost three times in 108 matches (a winning ratio of 97.2%) over a period of 16 years. After the match Djokovic described his victory over Nadal as “having climbed Everest”, truly a monumental sporting achievement.

So, what can we mere mortals learn from the legends of the game in climbing our own Everest’s every day?

Five things stand out from watching Novak and his competitors over the duration of the tournament:

1. Look back at the ground you have covered.

The young pretenders love having a go at the legends of the game. For many of them, playing against Federer, Nadal and Djokovic on the biggest stage is the highlight of their career and often this brings out the best in them. They get ahead in the match, but rarely manage to take down the champs. Why is this?

One reason is that the best in the world have a large repertoire of experiences they can reflect on to prove to themselves that they’ve made it through challenging situations in the past. When the pressure is on, they think back to previous situations and remember how they managed those towards a positive outcome.

We can do the same. We’ve all faced challenging situations or pressures that we have managed to navigate (with at least some level of success) in the past. Remind yourself that you’ve endured or achieved difficult things in the past when you are faced with new challenges in the present. Don’t run from pressure. Rather use it as a gift to move you forward.

2. Look up to check your route.

Often during the tournament when a player fell behind, they would leave the court between sets for a complete change of clothes. They would change everything, right down to their socks and underwear. Mentally this allowed them space to reflect, slow down and restart the match afresh. Often it also frustrated their opponents, causing them to lose some of the momentum and focus they gained during the match (all within the rules of the game). Both Djokovic and the ladies champion Barbora Krejčíková employed this tactic on route to the trophy.

When things aren’t going according to plan and we start feeling emotional in the heat of the moment, it is a good idea to step away from the situation to let yourself and others calm down a bit. When we step back and regain a view of the bigger picture this allows us to respond more effectively, while regaining composure and devising an improved approach.

3. Your very next step is all that matters.

World class performers are exceptional at staying in the moment. They refuse to dwell on past mistakes or what-if scenarios. The only thing they focus on is playing the next point, hitting the next ball, controlling what they can and forgetting the rest. Even when facing break points, set points, match points they single-mindedly refuse to think about “what if I lose this point”. The only thing they think about is executing their game plan and watching the ball, while forgetting about the possible outcome. This allows them to stay loose and play to the best of their ability.

We often talk ourselves out of trying even before we start. We pay so much attention to what has gone wrong in the past or what could go wrong in the future that we forget to play the point right in front of us. When we focus on the task at hand and put the “what-ifs” out of our mind, our chances of success are greatly enhanced. So, when you’re facing a mammoth task, break it down into smaller pieces and allow yourself to just focus on the next thing you need to do.

4. Take in the view from the summit.

Tennis professionals know that for every final played on a Sunday, there is a new tournament that starts on Monday morning. There is not much time for them to celebrate their victories or reflect on what went wrong. They just need to jump on the plane and start the process all over again.

Our lives are often very similar, with jam packed schedules and endless responsibilities to take care of. When was the last time you celebrated a significant (or any) achievement? Instead of immediately focusing on the next thing on your to-do list, take a moment to celebrate how far you’ve come. Pay attention to your progress. Look back over the past 6 months or year and notice what you’ve accomplished. You might find a list of things that were scary to start out with, but are now completed or run of the mill.

5. You need a good team around you.

Although they also play doubles, most people remember the singles champions best. Tennis, like life, can easily come across as being an individual sport. But nothing could be further from the truth. Every time Djokovic wins a Grand Slam it is the culmination of countless hours’ worth of team effort from family members, coaches, trainers, and psychologists that helped put him in the position to win.

Pay attention to your team. Have they got your back? Do they have your best interest at heart? We cannot do life alone. To get anywhere worth going, we are going to need an exceptional team supporting us. Also remember it’s not just about you. Who can you put in a position to achieve their best possible outcome?

In closing…

Are there areas in your life or business that you might be taking your eye off the ball? Do you feel that there is more to life than what you are currently experiencing and need some guidance on how to get back on track? Get in touch at info@purposeworks.co.za to let us help you climb your mountain.

At PurposeWorks we are all about Making You and Your Work Rock. Our focus is on Organisational Health and Design, Employee Centered Culture, Leadership Development and Performance Coaching. For more information on how we can help you create a work environment that rocks, develop a great team, become an inspiring leader or unlock your personal excellence talk to us at info@purposeworks.co.za.