It takes skill, determination, stamina, and tenacity to win in tennis. Tennis can teach us a lot about how to win in business. Here are five ways you can adapt these sports lessons towards business or business practices.
Professional athletes train hard. Many of them may have been born with tremendous athletic abilities, but to make it in the big leagues, innate skill is not enough. They have to push themselves every day, usually for tens of thousands of hours.
This mentality applies to the business world, as well. In an economy that is constantly evolving, with a globalized workforce that can heighten competition, you need to be on top of your game to compete. Train the skills you need to thrive often.
Be Strategic
It is difficult to play tennis aimlessly and win. Good players are strategic – they know the right angles to hit, which pace suits the angles, and the best positions for intercepting a return hit. Not only do they know these things, but they are ready to apply this knowledge to their game with amazing speed and accuracy.
Successful business people exhibit similar know-how. They understand the ins and outs of their industry and how they fit into it. They deliver with strategy, and anticipate problems in the same fashion.
Serve Well
One of the more popular quotes about business and tennis, which appears in a variety of forms, underscores the importance of service. It advises: Business is like tennis; those who serve well, win. It is sound advice – good business is often borne out of an organization that serves, whether those who directly serve customers or those behind the scenes who serve an internal objective.
You can also draw a second interpretation. When you serve in tennis, you have a lot of control over where the ball goes; you don’t have to subdue the spontaneity of a bouncing ball, after all. Good players capitalize on that moment when the ball is firmly in their side of the court. From a business perspective, so should you. When the next play is in your hands, make the most of it.
Use a Coach
Great players rarely get there alone. Many had a stellar coach working tirelessly to improve their swing, tweak their footwork, and get them in top physical shape. The same thing applies to the working world – you need help to reach the top. Cultivating a mentorship with someone who knows your field and can assess your talents may make all the difference in your career. Going without this coach-figure in business can limit your growth and cause you to make mistakes that you may have avoided with a mentor’s guidance.
Invest in Good Tools
World-class tennis players have the right equipment – a racket that is the perfect weight, for example, and shoes that feel so good, it is like they were custom designed. Perhaps the equipment is cutting edge; it could also easily be an older version that, despite changes in products, simply works too well to give up.
In short, you can take a lot from what you learn on the tennis court into the business world. Apply those tennis-inspired skills to your work and you can expect your professional life to thrive. These athletes’ equipment is exactly what they need to perform optimally, and without it, chances are they wouldn’t be as good. Your business is no different. Determination, skill, and guidance are all excellent, but without the right tools to get the job done, these traits may not reach their full potential.