This page presents some life lessons I learned from playing tennis in high school and squash thereafter. Since both sports are played alone or in pairs, they miss the chance to provide life lessons on multi-way teamwork. Nevertheless, I have found much merit in these lessons through my career (e.g., for lost match, think "paper rejection").

During a Match

• Focus more on playing well than winning. This is where you can make a difference.
• If someone is going to beat you, make sure it is not you. The flip side of the previous point.
• Lose one point at a time. Focus on the next rally, not past or future ones. Don't let displeasure at a mistake overflow into subsequent points.
• Lose differently. Make reasoned adjustments between sets (games in squash), while keeping the above focus.
• There are no tennis (squash) gods. There is no profound reason that your shot was just out or theirs was just in, so don't waste energy looking for it.
• Keep a balanced perspective. It is not okay to rue the lost point unless you are willing balance it with happy thoughts about successful points. Amazingly, one player loses every point and each match.
• Spend "risk" methodically. Between the "safe shot" and the "winner," there is often a shot that puts pressure on an opponent at modest risk to you.

After a Match

• The only appropriate comment to your victorious opponent is, "Congratulations, you played well." It is tempting to make excuses, but that lets yourself off too easy, and seeks to diminish your opponent's accomplishment. People who are good at making excuses tend to be good at little else.
• Be graceful in victory as well as defeat. They are two sides of the same coin.
• There is more learning in loss than victory. Learning from setbacks and persevering is perhaps the greatest life lesson of sports.
• Reflect on how you played regardless of outcome. This is where you can make a difference.