Above the Net - Tennis Tips for Life Uzorak

Practice . . . Start Today

One day, I showed up to my tennis lesson tired, not ready to play, and simply stood at the baseline. Coach Tim said, “What do we all want to work on today?” My three friends answered, saying things like “volleys” and “lobs.” Another friend asked, “Could we practice our serves?”

Then, he turned to me. “How about you? What do you want to work on?” I replied a bit unenthusiastically, “I can just work on what they said.” With an encouraging voice of discernment, he said, “No . . . you pick something to work on and start today.” His words washed over me and felt like a message from heaven. I knew, in my soul, those words were meant for much more than that tennis drill. I had been battling some blues and couldn’t seem to shake them. It was time to “start today” and ask for assistance.

My backhand was my weaker stroke. I finally answered that I needed help with that. Tim said, “Great! Start today and stay with it!” After the drill, I wrote the words “start today” in a tiny notebook in my car that led to this Bible plan. I also called my doctor, made an appointment, and shared with my family that I needed some help to get through how I was feeling. So much good came from showing up, sharing, and involving teammates and others.

The 10,000-hour rule, popularized by Malcom Gladwell’s blockbuster book, Outliers states that to master a complex skill, it takes 10,000 hours. Now that’s a lot of practice. Most of us don’t put in that kind of time like the tennis pros. Yet, at each lesson or tennis drill, you can “start today” to work on a skill to improve. Practice pays off, builds endurance, and enables you to trust your training in a match.

Sometimes, you will benefit from practicing with those better than you. Other times, you can be the person who helps another player improve. Ask, “God, what is it that You want me to work on today?” Practice His presence on and off the court. Each day that you arise, vow to “start today” His way.