Keep Your Eye on the Ball
I started playing tennis three years ago with my wife and son and fell in love with the game. Now my goal is to be the first unranked 42 year old man to win the US Open. : )
In my pursuit of greatness I’ve taken a few lessons and when playing I try to implement what I’ve learned. I tell myself:
Keep the racket low.
Move the feet.
Bend the knees.
Rotate the hips.
Low to high.
Follow through.
Don’t pass out.
One day I thought I was doing everything right and yet I still wasn’t hitting the ball well. What am I doing wrong I asked myself in frustration? I thought of all the advice I had shared in Training Camp, and laughed as I realized I had overlooked the obvious.
I was doing everything but keeping my eye on the ball. I was so caught up in trying to do everything else that I forgot the most important part of the game.
I know I’m not alone. I see it happen all the time in businesses, schools, sports, and life.
Distractions cause us to lose our focus.
We allow the trivial to get in the way of the meaningful.
Busyness and stress keep us from developing the relationships that are crucial to building a winning career and team.
We fret about the past, worry about the future and take our focus off of the present.
Bombarded by information and distractions we forget what is truly important.
We focus on the outcome instead of the process and wonder why we miss our targets.
We focus on everything else except the ball.
Today I want to encourage you to keep your eye on the ball. Get back to the basics. Focus on the fundamentals. Remember what really matters. Identify the simple principles and actions that are crucial to your success at work and at home.
Simplify, Focus, Execute.
I played tennis the other day for two hours. I was tired but kept telling myself keep your eye on the ball.
I played the best I've ever played.
Keeping my eye on the ball helped me take my game to a new level. I know it will help you do the same.
How do you keep your eye on the ball? What does the ball symbolize for you? Share your thoughts on our blog or Facebook page.
-Jon |
