Racquetball
Several years ago, my wife and I started playing racquetball. We usually play 2
to 3 times a week with different people. You would think that with us playing regularly, we would be better than we are. However, even though we are not
“A” players, we have certainly improved a lot since we first started.
Our improvement is a result of getting hold of some of the “basics” of the game. One of the first lessons we learned was the importance of positioning.
If you concentrate on controlling the center of the court, it makes it much easier to reach an opponent’s shot. We also learned the value of anticipating where your opponent’s shot will travel. In racquetball, it is possible to play off several walls on a single shot. Hence, it is essential to anticipate the angle the ball will travel to be in position to make a return shot. Finally, we’ve learned the importance of going for the ball. We’re constantly amazed at the consistency we can reach an opponent’s well placed shot if we just “go for it” with gusto!
In many ways, the strategy we’ve learned in racquetball can be applied
to living a purposeful life. Just like in racquetball, we need to find the center of our life’s court. What’s important to us? What excites us? What drives us? These are the areas of our life that we are probably most gifted in and where we need to invest ourselves. Many of us spend too much time hanging around
by the wall or in a corner to ever consistently make life’s good shots. We also need to learn to anticipate what life is going to throw at us.
Sure, we sometimes get thrown a curveball that we don’t anticipate and it may bring about a setback. Most of the time, life is rather predictable. Once we learn the “angles” of the racquetball court, we become a more proficient player. Once we become a student of life’s angles, we can better anticipate the myriad of opportunities we can be faced with. Foreknowledge gives us the chance to prepare in advance the reaction that will serve us best. Lastly, in life, we need to develop the practice of “going for it.” Hesitation is going to result in never hitting many racquetball shots that could have been made.
In life, hesitation many times equals missed opportunity. Missed opportunity to take advantage of vocational success, a ministry opportunity, or just the chance to help our fellow man. Missed opportunity because we haven’t preprogrammed ourselves to “go for the ball” when opportunity arises.
Think about it! Have you determined the center of your life’s court?
Are you a student of life’s angles? Are you preprogrammed to “go for it”?
I look forward to seeing you on the court.
