Winning: The Andre Agassi Way
One of the more fascinating tennis players to watch in the 1990s was American tennis sensation and heartthrob Andre Agassi. Who could forget that young, handsome, and energetic man sporting long locks and a tennis fashion sense that was anything but old-fashioned?
No wonder the brand Nike skyrocketed during his time. His image projected that of a tennis rebel (not wearing the traditional all-white tennis ensemble) and the youth just went gaga with it!
The admiration that he got from the public and the media was overwhelming earning him celebrity status especially with his endorsements but although he had his share of winnings, he craved to establish a stronghold in the world of tennis. He wanted to win some more.
I still remember that time when he had to find a new coach who also trained him to do a change of mindset or some mental toughness training. To make the long story short, slowly but surely, he eventually became unceasingly amazing as a tennis player, match after match after match. And the rest, as they say, is history.
What is fascinating to learn, however, after all these years, is how that one dinner conversation with his apparent prospective coach then, Brad Gilbert, dramatically gave Agassi a change of mindset and changed the way he played his tennis.
In a recent Newsweek article, The Science of Triumph, that supposedly dinner encounter with Gilbert went on like this:
Frustrated and rudderless, Agassi agreed to have dinner with a prospective new coach, a man whose tennis he didn’t much admire. Brad Gilbert was the anti-Agassi, a moderately talented junker who in his own career had eked out matches he had no right to win. His book about tactics, just published, was titled Winning Ugly. At dinner in Key Biscayne, Agassi wanted an honest assessment of his game. Why did he keep losing to less skilled players?
Gilbert excoriated him for trying to play with perfection. Instead of risking a killer shot on every point, why not keep the ball in play and give the other guy a chance to lose? “It’s all about your head, man,” Gilbert said, as Agassi recalls in his memoir, Open. “With your talent, if you’re fifty percent game-wise, but ninety-five percent head-wise, you’re going to win. But if you’re ninety-five percent game-wise and fifty percent head-wise, you’re going to lose, lose, lose.”
Further, in the same article, Timothy Gallwey, author of books about the mental side of tennis, golf, and other pursuits was quoted as saying: “One way of looking at it is that winners get in their own way less. They interfere with the raw expression of talent less. And to do that, first they win the war against fear, against doubt, against insecurity—which are no minor victories.”
In the field of business especially network marketing, what can you learn from Agassi’s change of mindset?
In making sure you’re on the winning side, does your choice of a coach or mentor really matter in how you play the game?
Have you conquered your war against your own fear, doubt, and insecurity?
Are You Now Ready For A
Change Of Mindset?
Share your thoughts by leaving a comment below. If you enjoyed this post, don’t forget to share, retweet, or bookmark! Thank you!
To Your Success,
Elmar Sandyck
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Hi Elmar,
thanks for this interesting story. Although I have never played tennis, I can see that it requires a lot of mental strength, so it’s all about conquering negative emotions such as fear, doubt and self-doubt.
The more I realize that fear is nothing than the anticipation of pain, I am able to conquer it more easily and more effortlessly. How can we anticipate something ? Do we have a crystal ball that shows us the future ?
It’s the opposite from living in the now, that’s in fact one cause of fear.
Take care
Oliver
Hi Elmar! Yes, the choice of a coach or a mentor really matters especially if you’re a newbie. You could really learn a lot from an experienced outsider in looking at the way you do things and he or she could really give you an honest assessment on what works and what doesn’t.
Hi Elmar! Good questions. Makes me rethink about getting a similar coach or mentor for my business.
Hi Elmar! Amazing post! I didn’t even know that Agassi had some kind of mental toughness training. I guess, in all fields, be it sports or business, a shift in mindset is necessary to move from losing to winning!
HI Elmar, what a great read.
First of all to answer your questions. Does a Coach or Mentor matter or how you play the game?
Well, I do believe in coaches and mentors very much so. The funny thing is though sometimes it only takes one statement from them to completely change your course.
Coaches and mentors can keep you on the right track for sure, but like Andre… it was really the ‘supposed’ dinner meeting that did the trick from what I can gather.
Have I overcome my own doubts and fears?? No! Not completely. I find that I am often better at helping others get rid of their own insecurities and limiting beliefs.
The good thing is I recognize them… and the importance of kicking them aside, therefore I am able to work on them.
I do find that by not thinking too much and just trying to let my natural ‘talent’ or nature shine through it works much better than overthinking.
Thanks Elmar for the post!
Jayne
It doesn’t mean that he or she is your coach or your mentor , you wil follow what they have said to you. You have your own will as well. You can also share that to them and analyze what would be the best for you.
And conquering your fear, doubt and anxiety is very hard because your own enemy is just yourself. I believe that we can overcome all of this if we will give our best to face them with all your courage and confidence. Sometimes, we need to get out of our box and let go all the anxieties that we keep in our hearts. You will never learn to be yourself if you are still living in the murky abyss of hell.
Hi Oliver,
What separates the winners from the losers is the type of mindset that they have. It is tempting to own a crystal ball that shows us the future but then again life would be boring. I guess what makes life exciting is not knowing what the future holds and we strive to make the best out of it through sheer determination, hard work, and focusing on our goals
.
Take care,
Elmar
You know there’s another coach who Agassi worked with – well, as the story goes, he paid him $1m for one session. The coach was Anthony Robbins… he taught him an NLP technique called Anchoring.
The point is, if you attach enough value to something, you’re going to change your life with it! If he’d paid $1000 for it, he’d not have done anything with it.
There are lots of books by Tim Gallwey, the Inner Game of Tennis is the most famous, but he wrote a whole suite of books on the Inner Game… there’s one for golf, music and business to name but a few. Incredible stuff if you’re prepared to learn!
Elmar, aloha. Loved this lesson from Andre and the advice applies perfectly to network marketing–get out of your own way.
Far too often distributors create objections in their own minds that never occur to the prospect. The distributor then agonizes over how to handle it when it never needed to be “handled” in the first place. Distributors have a tendency to create endless horrific scenarios of “what ifs” that are counterproductive.
Your choice of a coach or mentor does make a different. A good coach/mentor can point out what you are doing wrong and help you to find the solution. They help you to understand WHY you need to change what you are doing.
The Andre story is rather like Kevin Costner in Tin Cup going for the shot rather than playing it “safe” and winning. What matters more, Elmar, the end result or how you get there?
Though, of course, doubt, fear and insecurity to pop up their ugly little heads when I embark upon a new adventure, fortunately we have made “friends” over the years so I can calm them down and let them relax.
Thoroughly enjoyed this post, Elmar. Aloha. Janet
HI Elmar
I really liked Andre Agassi book. I think it was very interesting in many ways, the way he talks about life and the lessons you have to/need to learn along the way.
What made me tick in this story is how much Agassi is impressionable. He is impressionable nearly as much as he is impressive. That’s fascinating. Very smart and honest guy it seems anyway.
Hi Elmar,
I loved reading this post. Many top achievers in all fields use coaches and mentors. It’s extremely beneficial to have someone else’s insight and perspective. Sometimes we are just too involved with what we are doing to see clearly and that’s when we need someone else’s eyes.
I like what Gilbert said to Agassi because it’s so true. We can be so much better when we more effectively harness the power of our minds and rid them of the self limitations that stand in the way of talent expressing itself fully.
I don’t think it’s an easy job dealing with our heads especially if we have had a lot of self limiting programming take place previously. This is why I believe you one needs the skills and mindset but also the love and passion for what you are doing. You need all three to get you across the line.
Thanks for sharing a great example Elmar.
~Marcus
Hi,
A famous line from the comic strip Pogo says “We have met the enemy and he is us.” This reminds us that even though we hire the best coach or mentor but if we don’t change our mindset, things will never change.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Talk soon,
Elmar
Hi Joshua,
As they say, mind over matter. A strong will and the right attitude can stir success. Or more success if you’re already a superstar in your field. There’s no end in trying your best everytime.
Thanks for stopping by!
Talk soon,
Elmar
Hi,
A mentor and a coach can help you look at your business in a new persepctive. Learning from others can help save us time as well as avoid mistakes commited by others in the past.
Thanks for dropping by!
Take care,
Elmar
Hi,
True, we need to choose someone who has the track record to prove it. Choosing a wrong mentor may adversely affect you or your business in the long run.
Thanks for sharing your insights!
Take care,
Elmar
Hi Janet,
Thanks, Janet, for giving depth to the discussion by sharing your personal experience on the matter. Yes, isn’t it amazing how we could learn so much from various fields and endeavors and making it work for network marketing, too?
I guess in everything, if we really want to pursue success, the same principles apply.
Take care,
Elmar
Hi Marcus,
Definitely! The mind is very powerful and everything starts from there. Negative thoughts can affect and prevent us from achieving what we truly desire. But majority would agree that it’s easier to succumb to negativity than withstand it. That’s why we should really be vigilant about ourselves and struggle to stay positive.
Thanks for the comment!
Talk soon,
Elmar
Hi Desi,
Yes, you could really learn a lot from his journey in life.
Thanks for commenting!
Take care,
Elmar
Had the privilege of seeing Agassi play at Wimbledon. He is inspiring to watch and the background described in this article certainly explains this.
I agree with Janet. You need to be open to suggestions from the people around you. It is much easier to give advice when looking on from the outside.
Good luck to all the entrepreneurs out there. PMA – Positive Mental Attitude!