College commencement addresses can be one of the best sources of leadership content you will find. Two of the most famous are Navy Seal Admiral William McRaven “Make Your Bed” speech to the University of Texas Class of 2014 and Steve Jobs’s message to Stanford’s Class of 2005. Recently, I also wrote 20 Leadership Quotes and Lessons from Jerry Seinfeld’s Duke’s 2024 Commencement Speech because of its wisdom and impact.
This past weekend, tennis legend Roger Federer joined the pantheon of memorable commencement addresses when he spoke to the Dartmouth University’s Class of 2024. Click the image below to listen to selected portions of the speech followed by the leadership lessons afterwards.
The following are 3 Tennis (and Life) Lessons from Roger Federer’s Dartmouth Commencement Speech:
“Effortless is a myth.”
“I didn’t get where I got on pure talent alone. I got there by trying to outwork my opponents. I believe in myself but belief in yourself has to be earned.
Yes, talent matters. I’m not going to stand here and tell you it doesn’t. But talent has a broad definition. Most of the time, it’s not about having a gift. It’s about having grit. Discipline is also a talent, and so is patience. Trusting yourself is a talent. Embracing the process, loving the process is a talent. Managing your life, managing yourself, these too can be talents too.
Some people are born with them. Everybody has to work at them.”
“It’s only a point.”
“You can work harder than you thought possible and still lose. I have many times… Some defeats hurt more than others… Keep working and keep competing.
In tennis, perfection is impossible. In the 1,526 singles matches I played in my career, I won almost 80% of those matches… What percentage of points do you think I won in those matches? Only 54%. The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose. A point, a match, a season, a job, it’s a rollercoaster with many ups and downs.
The best in the world are not the best because they win every point. It’s because they know they lose again and again and have learned how to deal with it.”
“Life is bigger than the court.”
“Tennis could show me the world. But tennis could never be the world… Whatever game you choose, give it your best. Go for your shots. Play free. Try everything. And most of all, be kind to one another. And have fun out there.”
Conclusion
The biggest lessons which stuck out to me were the following:
- “I didn’t get where I got on pure talent alone. I got there by trying to outwork my opponents.”
- ” I won almost 80% of those matches… What percentage of points do you think I won in those matches? Only 54%… The best in the world are not the best because they win every point. It’s because they know they lose again and again and have learned how to deal with it.”
- “Tennis could show me the world. But tennis could never be the world.”
What did you learn from Federer which will make you a better leader?
My latest eBook is available for download. The Top 65 Leadership Quotes Of 2022 Part 1 is a resource every leader should have. Great quotes bring clarity and put into words who we intuitively feel as leaders. They give us wisdom and insights which advance the mission and vision of our organizations. This eBook includes thoughts and insights from leaders like Warren Buffett, Nick Saban, James Clear, Dawn Staley, Jurgen Klopp, Jerry Seinfeld, and even Ted Lasso. This resource will take you about 10 minutes to read but a lifetime to apply. You will want to stop and ponder the implications of each quote. Click HERE or on the image provided for immediate download!