🎯 The Long View

Why champions see setbacks differently than everyone else 🎾

From: Just West of Otay Lakes

Hey – It’s Luis.

Last weekend, I watched my son, Henri, lose in the semifinals of a Junior Tennis Tournament. Losing stings like a hornet. However, what I observed taught me something powerful about perspective and what sets champions apart from everyone else.

You will not win every point, every game, every match, every deal, every time.

This year taught me five perspective shifts that changed everything. These shifts work whether you're building a business, raising a student athlete, or pursuing any long-term goal.

Shift #1: From Reacting to Responding

Replace emotional reactions with objective feedback and trust.

This tournament was filled with parents coaching their kids even though it's against the rules. Players threw tantrums and smashed rackets.

I used to coach Henri too. Then a master tennis coach shared something that changed everything:

"High level players require high level parents." I realized I needed to level up my own mindset to better support my player.

Reading The Inner Game of Tennis helped me understand that parents are like Self 1 - the critical voice that doesn't trust Self 2, the natural ability of the player. This year I stopped taking extensive notes during Henri's matches and started using the Smashpoint app to track his stats. With the data, we could review two things after a match: what he did well and what he could improve.

This shifted the conversation from me telling him my observations to us reviewing statistics together.

Shift #2: From Wins to Development

Focus on building the foundation, not chasing results.

A master tennis coach shared something with us parents that shifted my entire outlook. After explaining the importance of playing more matches and focusing on development, he finished with this:

"None of it matters until they turn 16."

That statement gave me the long-term perspective I needed. Suddenly, weekend tournament results became data points instead of life-or-death moments.

Henri needed to build stamina by playing full sets with ads to be ready for higher-level tournaments.

Strategy is effective when you prioritize long-term development over short-term gains.

Shift #3: From Outcomes to Vision

Keep your vision clear, even when individual results disappoint.

Henri's goal is to play at Wimbledon.

Everything flows from that vision. When Henri lost in the semifinal, he still accomplished our mission. He added 40 points to his USTA ranking, improving his national seeding, and his UTR went up, too.

Our goal was to finish strong and earn as many points as possible. It's like having a big goal (win the tournament) and a little goal (earn as many points as possible).

In business, your vision determines how you respond when challenges arise. As Richard Branson says, "Business opportunities are like buses; there's always another coming around."

One deal is just one deal when you have a clear destination.

Shift #4: From Perfect to Persistent

Accept that losing is part of the game, even for champions.

Roger Federer shared something that will surprise you. Even the best tennis player ever won only 54% of his points. That means he lost almost half the points he played. Federer said, "The best in the world are not the best because they win every point. It's because they know they lose again and again and have learned how to deal with it."

"The best players expect to lose points and keep fighting anyway. Henri carries a mental picture of grit: Carlos Alcaraz cramping at Wimbledon but refusing to quit. We watched Carlos stay in the fight when his body wanted to give up."

The key is persistence, not perfection.

Shift #5: From Avoiding to Learning

Use both wins and losses as information to improve.

Enzo Ferrari knew something most people miss about winning and losing. As documented in Enzo Ferrari: The Man and the Machine, Ferrari said: "When one loses one knows what has to be done. When one wins one is never sure."

Losing gives you a clear map of what needs fixing. Winning leaves you guessing which parts actually worked. In business and life, your worst setbacks often teach you more than your biggest wins. The key is having the right perspective to learn from both outcomes.

Champions develop the long view - it serves them whether they're winning or losing.

These five shifts changed how I support Henri and how I approach my own challenges. The right perspective has a strange way of cutting obstacles down to size.

P.S. Which of these perspective shifts resonates most with your current challenge? I'd love to hear which one you're working on.