Let Success Take Its Due Course; Do Not Chase It

One of the actions I have taken as a coach is to get players more focused on the process of improving their game rather than chasing quick results. Tennis is a high skill sport and the reality is that improvement takes time and much effort. This understanding is often under-appreciated by players, which is evidenced by how quickly frustration sets in when they are unable to execute a new skill presented to them.

As coaches, we have a role to play in influencing the perspective of our players, which in my opinion determines their full potential. I have found through my own experience as a player and by watching the best players in the world that an immersion into the process of getting better is required to maximize one’s potential and achieve success. This fundamental understanding can profoundly impact player development and performance at all levels.

An immersion into developing the skills to improve my grass-court game resulted in the above singles title victory at Manchester, UK on grass.

Below are six suggestions for actionable steps that coaches can take when it is necessary to re-align a player’s perspective to a more process-oriented approach:

• Communicate the need for commitment: this involves both the need for a high level of sustained effort in training and a complete buy-in to the plan and outlined objectives. If you sense that either the player’s effort level is fluctuating or they are not bought-into the plan, make sure to set some time aside to understand the player’s situation, including any barriers they may be facing and work to find a solution.
• Pay attention to detail: at any given time, there can always be a multitude of things that a player can work on. A process-oriented approach is centered on an eye for detail that presents the player with a clear and focused development plan to maximize their time and potential.
• Prepare to perform: Too often, I see players at all levels (including touring pros) not planning out their tournament schedule in advance. Players who take the time to learn from past experiences, work on making improvements and periodically play tournaments are following a process-approach that sets them up for future success.

Top players prepare diligently to perform at Grand Slam events. Above is a picture of me at the US Open.

• Have a big-picture mindset: a player’s team that learns from every situation, be it a practice session or match, is continuously moving forward and keeping the big picture in mind. This is vital in staying balanced through the inevitable ups and downs that derail most others on the journey to accomplishing their goals.
• Enjoy the game: when players get too serious or emotional with every result or adverse situation, it is useful to remind them of the time when they first started and the joy they felt in simply hitting the ball. During such times, coaches can encourage their players to take a step back and cultivate an enjoyment again for the game. This will facilitate a valuable shift in a player’s mindset and allow them to reset their attention to working on the things they need to improve.
• Appreciate the journey: it is important for us as coaches to communicate the broader value that the tennis journey provides. Too often, players (and parents) only see value in the accomplishment. For example, if the player becomes a Division 1 collegiate player or professional player, it is all worth it, otherwise, it is considered a ‘failed attempt’. This perspective misses the mark as we learn many character building traits and values, as well as make many friendships that come in handy down the road in whatever we choose to do. Instilling an appreciation for the journey will enable players to find deeper value and meaning in their tennis journey irrespective of the results they encounter.

The above actionable steps are powerful when implemented to channelize the player’s perspective to a more process-oriented approach. You may find, as I have, that success ‘happens’ as a result of consistently doing all the right things and following through on the plan. To the contrary, it can be quite elusive when one ‘chases’ it without commitment or an appreciation of the work that is involved through the journey.

Best,

Harsh Mankad

Brief Bio: Harsh Mankad is the Founder and President of Tenicity (www.tenicity.com), an innovative web and mobile player development platform, which is being used by collegiate programs, academies, and clubs in North America, Europe, and Asia to enhance player development. Harsh is a former #1 ranked NCAA singles player who represented India in over 12 Davis Cup ties and competed on the ATP Professional Tour for 9 years. He runs a tennis program in Minneapolis, USA and holds an MBA from the Carlson School of Management at the University of Minnesota.