MESSAGE #842 TRUTH ABOUT ANDRE AGASSI…

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“I only care about being better than yesterday.”
-ANDRE AGASSI, author of “Open”

Is Andre Agassi a crystal meth addict?
Is Andre Agassi just trying to sell a lot of books?
Is Andre Agassi a cheater?

Everyone has their own opinion on the hottest topic in the sports world.

Here’s mine…

I don’t believe that taking “crystal meth” was right. (Andre didn’t even know what it was – his personal assistant mixed it for him.)

I don’t believe he should have lied about it.

Andre’s message is about choices, about second chances.

We’ve all made mistakes in our lives, but not all of us are in the public eye.

Everyone thinks that when he was playing on tour with his long hair and neon clothing, he was expressing himself.

He wasn’t.

He was exploring himself.

He didn’t know who he was. That’s probably part of the reason why he experimented with crystal meth.

He was lonely on tour…on the court. He was depressed. He was living someone else’s life.

But one day, he decided to play tennis for himself. He made a conscious choice. That’s when his whole world changed.

He started really loving the game.

He started bowing to the crowd after every match (now everyone does it).

He started going all out.

Andre said that he only likes money so he can help others.

I truly believe that.

Andre wants others to learn from his mistakes.

I truly believe that.

Andre wants to provide education and opportunity to those in need.

I truly believe that.

Andre didn’t enjoy most of his victories, but he enjoyed winning the US Gold Medal because it was for his country.

I truly believe that.

I don’t know enough about Andre Agassi to say whether he is a good or a bad person. I don’t know what his intentions are.

But I am pretty confident that he, and his book speak from the heart.

I truly believe that he wants to help others, and how can you blame someone for that?

Andre Agassi believes that he is just like you and me…

“We’re all swimming to Hawaii; you may get farther than me, but nobody’s making it.”

Make the most of today. Make the most of your life.

It’s not too late.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #840 ANDRE AGASSI, PART II…

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Andre and “Center Stage” host, Michael Kay


“Game. Set. Life.” Only on Yes!


Andre reading “Game. Set. Life.”

Yesterday was one of the best days of my life.

I was invited to a private taping of the “Center Stage” show in New York City.

The host: Michael Kay
The guest: Andre Agassi
My seat: Second row, center

I don’t know where to begin. This may have to be more than one blog entry.

I think the most important message Andre wants to convey is that we all have choices…and it’s never too late.

Andre CHOSE his life at age 27. Before that he was forced to play tennis and hated it. But then he hit bottom and then had to choose between hanging up the racquet, or going all out.

He chose to go all out.

He re-dedicated himself and got back to the top of the tennis world.

We all make our own choices. And we have to take risks.

Agassi says, “Anything worthwhile in life comes with a risk…this book was a risk. Some people may read it and like it, and others may not. If I can inspire one person, give one person hope, my job is done. In my life, I was finally happy to change myself – that was the only thing I could control.”

“I was gonna hang in until I had nothing left to give.”

I really like that quote.

Andre went all out and at the end of his career, he was satisfied. It was the end of that chapter in his life. He had no regrets.

And that’s what this blog is all about…are you going to go all out or hold back.

Andre’s final words…

“It’s never too late…go out and get it.”


Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #839 HANGING OUT WITH ANDRE AGASSI…

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“Nothing can substitute for just plain hard work. I had to put in the time to get back. And it was a grind. It meant training and sweating every day. But I was completely committed to working out to prove to myself that I still could do it.”
-ANDRE AGASSI

Today I am going to a private taping of “Center Stage” in New York City. Host Michael Kay will be doing a one-on-one interview with my favorite all-time tennis player, the great Andre Agassi.

I’ll be sure to ask a good question and donate a copy of my book to his prep school in Las Vegas.

Hard work was obviously part of Andre’s success, but you’re going to have to wait til tomorrow’s blog message to find out the rest…

MESSAGE #838 PARADISE…FOR 23 HOURS…

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Yesterday I was in Florida for exactly 23 hours and 9 minutes.

I loved and made use of every moment of it.

I made an appearance at the beautiful new All Tennis shop in Lake Park, gave a talk at BallenIsles Country Club, the first site of the PGA and current home of Venus and Serena Williams. Had a great dinner at Vic and Angelo’s and then met up with the great Denise Capriati, mother of former World #1, Jennifer Capriati.

During my talk I said that one problem with tennis players is that many of them are just “in” tennis, instead of “into” tennis.

When you’re “in” tennis, you’re playing. You’re just on the court and present.

If you’re “into” tennis, you live, eat and breathe tennis. You strive for constant improvement.

The good ones are in it, the great ones are into it…

What are you?

MESSAGE #837

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I’m late.

I was supposed to leave three minutes ago to hop a flight to West Palm Beach, Florida to give a talk today at 4:30pm at BallenIsles Country Club, home of the PGA and Williams sisters.

It’s okay, I took a deep breath and will tell you this…

“The time to relax is when you don’t have time for it.”
-SYDNEY J. HARRIS

Have a great day everyone!

MESSAGE #835 MY FIRST DAY AT MY NEW CLUB…

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“The secret is…there is no secret. If you exceed expectations, you can do anything.”
-MELISSA SAPIO, 4.0 graduate of Montclair State University

Yesterday was my first day at the new Monroe Sports Center. I use the great Melissa Sapio’s philosophy in my teaching. I try to do just a little bit more than is expected.

Most students just want the A.
Most athletes just want the trophy.
Most professionals just want the paycheck.

But the great ones, strive for constant improvement.

They exceed expectations.

When I’m teaching, I like to think that I transfer energy to my students. I make sure I’m vocal and use a lot of body language. I use positive reinforcement/coaching.

Yesterday I was teaching the great Mike DeBlase, former #1 singles player for Steinert High School. While I was teaching, a gentleman was watching from the window.

I assume he liked what he saw because after a few moments, he walked out on the court and requested weekly hour and a half private lessons for his sons who were ranked in NJ.

I didn’t know who he was, but he could tell that I was “into” teaching and exceeding expectations.

It’s all about excellence in the moment.

Give your best and people will notice.

If you do more than you’re paid to do, eventually you will get paid for more than you do.

Thanks for reading.

Free peak performance workshop today at 6pm at the Monroe Sports Center.

MESSAGE #834 CHANGING THE WORLD…

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“We can do no great things in this world, only little things with great love.”
-MOTHER TERESA

I’m going to do something little today.

The Tseng Performance Academy @ the brand-new, beautiful Monroe Sports Center opens its doors today. Tennis. Fitness. Nutrition. Mental Training.

I love what I do.

Do I teach tennis? No, I teach life.

Very few of my students will go on to become successful in professional tennis, but the lessons they learn can help them become successful in other areas of life.

Many people that have enjoyed my book, “Game. Set. Life.” are not even athletes, so there’s more to it.

I have given lectures to CEOs, mothers of pre-schoolers, inmates at juvenile detention centers and equestrian riders, among others.

My goal is not just to create great athletes, but to create great people.

I love what I do and my new academy is just another way for me to help change the world, in my own “little way.”

Tennis is not a matter of life and death, it’s much more important than that.

Come checkout the new club today and say hi. I’ll be there from 9am-3pm…you might get a free shirt or a signed book!

FREE TSENG ACADEMY WORKSHOP TOMORROW, NOVEMBER 8TH AT 6PM. MONROE SPORTS CENTER.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #833 CHANGE THIS AND YOU WILL WIN MORE…

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“The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves happy. The amount of work is the same.”
-CARLOS CASTANEDA

I heard a profound statement recently.

When I went to hear Dan Millman speak at the Mind Body Spirit Expo in Philadelphia a few weeks ago, he said something that stuck with me.

“It took me 25 years of marriage to realize that all this time, my wife wasn’t criticizing me, she was improving me.”

I think this is brilliant.

We all have our own perception of conditions. You can have the same situation and two totally different views.

What if we looked at our opponents as people who are improving us?

What if we looked at our teachers/coaches as people who are helping us become better students/athletes? (Especially when they’re tough on us and make us do fitness)

What if we looked at our parents as people who are teaching us to become better human beings, with only the best intentions?

What if we looked at our difficult clients as people who are making us better salespeople?

When you change your perspective, you change your world.

When you change your world, you change your results.

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #832 YANKEES WIN!…THEEEEEE YANKEES WIN!

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“I want to thank the Good Lord for making me a Yankee.”
-JOE DIMAGGIO

Well, the Bronx Bombers did it – they won their 27th World Championship.

You have to admit, the Yankees get a bad rap for having the highest payroll, but obviously that’s not a guarantee for success because this is their first World Championship since 2000.

And Andy Pettite, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera have all been (for the most part) part of the team since 1995. How many teams can say that, nowadays?

You know what I like about the Yankees?

Not that they have the most championships, but because they are a team.

When you watch the news today or read the papers (and by read the papers, I mean click on Yahoo! News)…listen to the interviews with the Yankees. It’s all about a team effort.

We can all learn from the new World Champions.

And remember what team stands for…

TEAM…Together Everyone Achieves More…as long as there’s a Total Effort from All Members.

Have a great day everyone!

The Tseng Performance Academy opens this weekend at the brand new Monroe Sports Center. Come check it out! http://monroesportscenter.com

Thanks for reading.

MESSAGE #831 ZENNIS…

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“In Zen it is said that the gap between accepting things the way they are and wishing them to be otherwise is ‘the tenth of an inch of difference between heaven and hell.’ If we can accept whatever hand we’ve been dealt – no matter how unwelcome – the way to proceed eventually becomes clear. This is what is meant by right action: the capacity to observe what’s happening and act appropriately, without being distracted by self-centered thoughts. If we rage and resist, our angry, fearful minds have trouble quieting down sufficiently to allow us to act in the most beneficial way for ourselves and others.”
-From “Sacred Hoops” by Phil Jackson