Tennis Lessons
Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, recently gave the commencement speech to the graduating class at Dartmouth College. Although he titled his address, “Tennis Lessons,” he wasn’t concerned with teaching the newly minted graduates how to improve their backhand or add spin to their serve. His lessons were about things far more important than how to defeat your opponent on the tennis court. He wanted to instruct these excited graduates how they could live a life of meaning and purpose. Even though Federer never attended college, his words were filled with the kind of practical wisdom that graduates would need to succeed in the game of life.
What Federer learned while competing in a professional sport far transcends tennis and can apply to the rough and tumble world that we all face every day. While Federer’s speech was primarily for graduates, I found his down-to-earth advice appropriate for any age. The tennis player’s lessons are simple yet profound.
First, Effortless Is a Myth. Success in any field requires hard work. Federer shared with his audience that he became irritated when people saw him play and remarked, “He barely breaks a sweat. He plays so effortlessly.” Federer believes that he became one of the greatest players of his generation through discipline and hard work, not merely because he was uniquely gifted.
Yes, his talent contributed to his greatness, but Federer was emphatic that his grit, not his gift, was what made the difference in his career. Simply put, he outworked his opponents. He trained harder and longer, he loved the process of becoming better, he developed the patience to persevere through difficult times, and he learned from his opponents.
Federer acknowledged that believing in yourself is important but self-confidence has to be earned. Success isn’t achieved just because you want it to happen. When you have put in the effort and time to become your very best, then when you step on the tennis court or enter the classroom or the boardroom or any of life’s arenas, you have earned that self-confidence needed for success.
We sometimes get the idea that people who achieve great things in life are naturally more gifted than others. The truth is, though, most successful people have worked incredibly hard to reach their goals. Federer doesn’t discount a person’s innate gifts, or good fortune, or other advantages, but successful people generally outwork their competition.
Second, It’s Only a Point. Federer played in hundreds of matches throughout his professional career. He won five straight Wimbledon Championships, 20 major championships, 103 titles overall, and holds the record for most consecutive weeks at number one.
Yet, in spite of his amazing accomplishments, Federer said that he only won 54% of his points, just a little over half. In other words, almost half the time Federer lost the point in the games he played! He knew well what it was like to lose, but Federer did not dwell on the points he lost. When you lose a point, he said, you just have to forget it and play for the next one. What’s important is to move forward, learn from mistakes, and focus on the next serve.
In 2008, Federer was competing for his sixth straight Wimbledon Championship, a goal he desperately wanted to attain, as it would make him the first man to ever accomplish this feat at Wimbledon. His opponent was Rafael Nadal, a fearsome rival throughout Federer’s career.
The match lasted almost 5 hours, with Nadal finally edging Federer in the last set 9-7. Many tennis experts believe that the Federer/ Nadal match was one of the greatest tennis performances of all time. It was a crushing blow to the Swiss player, and might have broken lesser players. But Federer learned from the match and moved forward.
He lost his number one ranking and some observers thought that he would never again achieve his former fame. The critics, however, underestimated Federer’s competitive spirit. “I knew what I had to do. I had to keep working and keep competing,” he said. In 2009, Roger Federer once again became the number one tennis player in the world.
Success in life depends largely on how we respond to defeat. All of us experience failure at one time or another. No one, not even people at the top of their profession, win all the time. But a loss is not the end of the world. Learn from a failure and move on to the next opportunity. Remember, it’s only a point.
Finally, Life Is Bigger than the Court. There is more to life than a tennis ranking or even achieving stellar success in a job or earning a large salary. These kinds of things are not really the measure of one’s life. There are other things bigger, far bigger and more important. Federer challenged the graduating class to throw themselves into something larger than their careers or self-interests. Do something with your life that benefits others, he challenged.
Federer practices what he preached. He and his family started a Foundation that makes it possible for thousands of poor South African children to attend quality pre-school. Without adequate pre-school, a child’s chance for success later in life is drastically reduced. Federer’s accomplishments on the tennis court have allowed him to support less privileged families by making it financially possible for their children to attend pre-school.
Federer’s Tennis Lessons were brief, simple, and practical. Like all great teachers he knew how to connect to his students. He spoke with passion, humility, and humor. At the beginning of a new chapter in their lives, Federer impressed upon these young people that lasting success is not measured by how many championships you win, but rather how many lives you can help change for the better. Those present will remember his words throughout their lives, and, if they practice his lessons, they will surely succeed.
For most of us our school years are behind us, still, we could probably all benefit from a few tennis lessons, don’t you think? After all, practice makes perfect!
