I had the pleasure of learning from Rick Macci, featured in the movie King Richard, awarded United States Professional Tennis Association National Coach of the Year (seven times), and trained five number one ranked tennis players: Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Andy Roddick, Jennifer Capriati, and Maria Sharapova.
How to master the art of coaching and connection
Being a master of coaching doesn’t mean that we have the best pupils, it means that we are able to meet our students where they are at in their journey. When we are truly present as an instructor, our students can feel it.
The best coaches know how to connect with the individuals they are instructing, as well as the best ways to motivate and inspire them. They consistently and persistently pursue progress, rather than perfection.
How teachers can help their students shift their mindset and change their life for the better
As coaches, we need to push the limitations of our student’s challenges, rather than trying to limit the challenges they experience. When we are able to do that, we empower our students to believe in themselves and their capabilities instead of doubting them. During his feature in the movie King Richard, Rick shared a story about having to motivate Serena Williams with a bribe of a t-shirt and candy.
Being able to forget is an essential characteristic of personal growth
Holding onto mistakes only creates more resistance for ourselves, which makes forgetting a huge key to progress. We need to have a mistake response that focuses on taking action in the present, rather than dwelling on the past. The most positive people tend to be the ones who excel the most in business and in sports.
“Keep score with yourself” in business
As Rick says, “If you’re not getting better today, you’re getting worse.” We need to constantly be motivating ourselves to learn, grow, and progress in any aspect that we choose. If we aren’t keeping score with ourselves, there is a tendency to slack off or end up in a rut, so we must push ourselves to be our best.