It happens to all of us: we wake up in the morning knowing that challenges lie ahead and problems will need solving. This is true in life, and it’s especially true in tennis.
But what separates those who succeed from those who don’t? How should we face difficulties in order to turn them into victories?

A powerful lesson comes from Julio Velasco, one of the greatest volleyball coaches of all time, whose wisdom can teach us a lot—even on a tennis court.

We often hear others say, “It’s not a big deal” or “That’s actually easy”—about something we’re clearly struggling with.
But according to Velasco, that kind of response only makes things worse: it makes us feel even more inadequate, disconnected, and unable to deal with the challenge calmly.

But the truth is much simpler—and much more powerful:

“There are no easy or difficult things. There are only things I know how to do, and things I don’t know how to do. And that’s where I have to start—from a neutral place, without preconceptions.”

The key to overcoming any challenge lies in being honest with ourselves: recognizing what we know, identifying what we don’t know yet, and working consistently to learn it.
We must not be discouraged by what we haven’t mastered. Instead, we must face it with determination and a positive attitude.

And when we’re teaching someone else, Velasco warns, the worst thing we can say is: “Step aside, I’ll do it.”
That attitude only makes others feel incapable and insecure.
Instead, “You have to let them do it until they’ve learned it,” says Velasco.

It’s with this very mindset that Velasco led his teams to World Championship titles. His core belief:

“No one is incapable. Together, we can do anything.”

In tennis and in life, we must stop labeling challenges as “easy” or “hard.”
Let’s start seeing them simply as things we either know how to do or things we don’t know how to do yet.
That shift in mindset allows us to approach each day with confidence, resilience, and the belief that—with effort—we can learn anything.

by Federico Coppini
https://www.coppinifedericoacademy.com/