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Roger Federer is known for being the most gifted tennis player to have ever graced a tennis court. His impeccable stroke play, incredible balance and seemingly effortless game lit up our lives while he was on court. Now retired, or as he would say, a tennis graduate, Roger shared some fantastic life lessons in his commencement speech for the outgoing batch of graduates at Dartmouth College, USA recently.

P.S. You can watch the key highlights of Federer’s great speech at the end of this newsletter with your children!

Here are the 3 life lessons that Federer shared:

1. “Effortless” is a Myth: Federer was often complimented for making his amazing tennis look too easy, effortless even. While the praise was well-meaning, it riled him because it almost seemed to take away from the tremendous effort that went into making his game look “effortless”. Roger says nothing is possible without putting in hard work, self-belief, discipline and patience. In fact he even discounts his prodigious talent by saying success on the court and in life isn’t about having a gift or talent, but rather having the grit and perseverance to overcome challenges and chase our dreams.

2. “It’s Only a Point”: A key learning for life is to enjoy the process of learning while understanding that losing many times is part of the journey. “You can work harder than you thought possible and still lose,” says Roger in his speech. Of the 1,526 singles matches Federer played, he won nearly 80% of them. Interestingly, when it came to the percentage of points he won during his career, the win percentage was just 54%! He says, “The best in the world aren’t the best because they win every point. They are the best because they know they will lose again and again and have learned how to deal with it.”

3. Life is Bigger Than the Court: Life isn’t just what’s on court and there’s a world that exists beyond it. Yes, it is important to give your best when on the field of play. But it’s important to have perspective and know that family, friends and well-wishers are what will keep you going when the chips are down. Beyond this, education & financial literacy are important as they equip us to handle life off the court. Above all, Roger says, “Be kind to one another.” Because he too knows, being a better person is fundamental to being a better sportsperson.

If you would like to help your children learn the lessons Roger Federer spoke about and some football, call us on 9819337766 or 9819227766.

Here’s is the link to Roger Federer’s fantastic & inspiring commencement speech at Dartmouth College!