From Tennis to Everything You Do in Life

With over 20 years playing tennis, I thought I could never be as good as the ones I had dreamed of. I am not even talking of stars such as Federer and Nadal, but more realistic ones such as the player who was nearly 20 years older than me but beat me in straight sets.

However, recent things have changed my perception. And now, more than ever, I believe I can beat the top guns inside my playing circle, and even some good players in the city. What have changed? It all started from a new coach and new perspective.

This new coach, let’s call him Eric, is not even a good coach by popular judgment. A tennis buddy even warned me that Eric is a good player, but doesn’t have a clue about coaching. Terrible, I was warned.

But hey, there is no deny about Eric being the No.1 player inside the Tennis Club, I believe that there must be something that Eric has that I can learn from. So I signed up. And I have seen changes kept coming ever since.

Eric has no mercy; he doesn’t treat trainees like trainees, but professional players in training. Eric believe that everyone can be equally qualified to be playing tennis just as well as him, if they put the right amount of practice, right attitude and never give up and give in.

I immediately felt the difference of the perspective change in my tennis. I was thrilled by the feeling of hitting the balls like a pro, the desire to improve, the determination to keep going even I was ready to collapse, and in return, the tangible improvement pushes me to move forward further and further.

Eric is not only bad at pleasing you so you will feel good about yourself, at the expenses of releasing your full potential and achieving the maximum goals, he is also bad at saving people’s face. “Where is your stamina?” “Your forms mess up”, he would say, to your face, so you will correct right away.

Coaches like Eric are not for everyone; you do have to stomach constructive suggestions, to-you-face comments and everything in between.

It has been going on for two months; I still have a long way to go towards my goal of beating the local stars with flying colors.

Do you have such a coach in your life that can motivate you to constantly improve?

Let me leave one quote with you, “You stop playing not because you become old, you become old because you stop playing.”

Items of Interest

China, Ghana explore new ways to further collaboration. The Chinese ambassador Yu Wenzhe told an audience in Accra, Ghana. (GBN News)


Obama handpicked Nanfang Zhoumo (Southern Weekend) for only interview with a Chinese media while he visited Beijing last month, and now the top editor of Southern Weekend had been punished for that. You bet some one in top is not happy about it. (Reuters)


Thiland finds a plane full of weapons from North Korea en route to a third country. (Reuters)


After 10 year hilatus, China, two Koreas and the U.S. will start new round of Peack Talks. (Reuters)
Is North Korea desperate or a gesture for liver branch in the year of soccer world cup where North Korea will be a part of after decade of absense?


Fake receipts are creating huge problems and posign grave threats to Chinese economy. (TBS News)


A rule of 30 day advance notice was broken when Chinese vice president Xi Jinping wanted to pay a visit to Japanese Emperior, and Hatoyama administration pressed the office of Emperior to receive Mr. Xi. Should the rule be bent for the Chinese? A debate is on in Tokyo. (TBS)


Hatoyama's right hand man Ozawa took a 600-puls delegate visited Beijing. With or without a 30 day notice, Hu Jintao sit down with Ozawa and the two shared plenty of plesantries. (TBS)


The U.S. and Japan agree to open each other's sky. (TBS)


Still want more Maguro (raw Salmon fish filet famous for making shushi), it may not be there tomorrow. Japan signs the first international treaty to limit the fishing of Maguro in Pacific occean. (TBS)

Hello From Accra

It has been one full month before I finally have a feel of settling down in Africa.

The coldest month here is August, with daily temperature around 25C (85F)so I am grateful for the pleasant change from sizzling hot DC. Now is also the cigar butt end of a raining season, so the sky is mostly overcast with only one short rain fall during the whole month.

Due to limited manufacturing factors in Ghana, most stuff are imported from Europe, China, Mideast and the U.S., the prices are quiet high considering the national average income is around $510. However, local produce are very reasonable, for example, 1 cedi ($1=1.46 cedis) can buy you a big bunch of fresh bananas, and locally grown vegetables are also inexpensive.

Billed the friendliest people in Africa, Ghanaian I met are hardworking, warm and ready to help. According to a local media who did a study on how friendly the people really are, there is a price you pay for the friendliness. They found that when one person entered a supermarket and asked for something in a nice way, no immediate services were tended. However, when asked for the same thing in a more bitchy way, the service was fast and professional.

I certainly can relate that to getting my internet service installed. After three weeks of back and forth, almost daily telephone calls to many different people who all seemed to be in charge but couldn't answer my questions, one trip matching down to the phone company and paying the service upfront, I got a fully functional internet access Today.

I can't help but comparing China with Ghana, I wonder, are there more to the development models that put China ahead?

More to come, stay tuned.