Less is More.
I started tennis lessons yesterday.
My instructor, Coach James, is a kind British man with long brown hair and an upbeat spirit.
“Have you played tennis before?” he inquired, handing me my racket.
“It’s been over 10 years,” I honestly replied, “but I’m excited to learn again.”
“Perfect,” he smiled. “Let’s get started.”
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We began the lesson by going over the basics. From across the court, James tossed me a series of throws in order to assess my form. From there, he guided me on how to properly hit, serve, and volley the tennis ball. Naomi Osaka here I come ;)
With a pop hits playlist playing in the background, we began a series of technique exercises. James is a great coach — not too easy and not too soft with just the right amount of tough love.
Starting at the back of the court, he instructed me to move back and forth in the direction of the balls he’d serve. My mission was simple: hit the ball (with proper form) and return to baseline to prepare for the next throw. In theory, it sounded easy enough, but boy, was I wrong.
As the balls started moving in my direction, I quickly grew weary trying to keep up. You can do this, Natalie, I silently motivated myself.
Chase the ball - hit the serve - return to baseline.
Chase the ball - hit the serve - return to baseline.
Chase the ball - hit the serve - return to baseline.
This only worked for so long, and before I knew it, I was sore and out of breath, gingerly moving across the court as I tried to keep up with James’ hits. Midway through, Coach James kindly and firmly directed me from across the court.
“Less is more. Position yourself for each hit, rather than chasing the ball before it touches the ground. The more you run, the more you’ll wear yourself out. Focus on your form, and your performance will improve. In tennis, strategy is king.”
He was right. Of course, he was, he’s the instructor after all. As soon as I released myself from my internalized mission to chase the ball and instead strategically positioned my body to be ready for the ball, the more I was able to play with ease, grace, and energy. This changed everything. Suddenly, the rounds that once felt forceful and fatiguing now seemed all the more easy, even while still being challenging. Rather than feeling flustered by the game, I was invigorated by it. Not only that, but I started to hit the tennis balls in a much more effective manner. The sincere difference in my effort and outcome moved me in such a way that I couldn’t help but think about life outside the court.
How often do we approach the everyday world like I did my first few rounds on the tennis court, chasing the next thing, job, opportunity, or adventure out of sheer fear that we’ll miss it? Is it not completely exhausting to constantly be chasing one thing, knowing that there is another to come right after it? In contrast, how much more exciting and all the more fun is this life when we strategically position ourselves for the inevitable throws that are coming our way.
In tennis and in life, the hits, serves, and curveballs are inevitable, and that is perhaps what makes the game and this world so memorable. Maybe life is less about the chase and much more about our willingness to remain present and powerful within it.
I’d like to think that a life of faith is a lot like a great tennis match.
Strategy over striving.
Preparation over perfection.
Play over pristine performance.
If this is the case, maybe just like a great coach, God isn’t looking to set us up for failure with a bad throw or an impossible toss. Perhaps instead, every hit, serve, and toss is a useful tool to prepare us to play this game of life with successful execution. If so, I think there is a lot of fun to be had on this tennis court called life. Furthermore, I believe we would all benefit from positioning ourselves to make the most of our time on the court, no matter what comes next.
Happy Thursday!