“This is not why I’m playing tennis, to break records” – after breaking the record for most Grand Slam singles titles in men’s tennis history.
The reasons Roger Federer does not have for playing tennis go a long way in explaining why he does. With his athletic ability he could have chosen any sport. His intelligence would have allowed him to choose a career outside of sport. His ambition would have led to success in any field. Yet he chose tennis … because he loves it.
Like for Federer, being clear about your reasons for not pursuing whatever you’re pursuing can be as important as understanding your reasons for doing it. In your reasons for not pursuing things, include all those things that would bring you happiness maybe, but short-lived happiness only. Because, like Federer, what you truly want is lasting success – in your career, love, relationships, health and finances. It requires a shift of focus from what you’re engaged in, to how it makes you feel, from working towards a thing to the sensation you have while working. It requires to move control over your feelings from the outside world to the inside. Lasting success demands clarity inside of how the outside is going to affect you, or not. When your vision of how you will feel is clear you are free. In an earlier interview Federer, who won his first Grand Slam at the relatively ripe age of 23, stated, “I push myself not to get upset and stay positive, and that’s my biggest improvement over all these years. Under pressure I can see things very clearly.” You can be positive and see things clearly only by pushing yourself. No-one else can do it for you.
PS. After his epic Wimbledon 2009 win, Federer also said, “(In a four hour match) you’re always going to go through good times and bad times (and those were the bad times) but you have to be able to turn those around.” Wise words from a man of any age, and certainly experience-based from the man with the 15 Grand Slam wins.
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