What a French Open!
I didn’t watch it live, but after hearing a passionate recap at the ACE of Florida conference (where I keynoted yesterday), I had to check out the highlights—and I’m glad I did.
Even if you’re not a tennis fan (I’m not), there’s a lot to learn from Carlos Alcaraz’s performance in a grueling five-hour final against Jannik Sinner. Words like persistence, passion, and physicality were used to describe it—words we can apply to our own lives.
Persistence
Time and again, it looked like Sinner would win. He even had three match points on Alcaraz’s serve. But Alcaraz refused to give up. He stayed in the fight. It reminded me of Churchill’s quote: “Never, never, never give in.”
How often do we stop just short of success—defeated not by others, but by our own doubt? Next time you’re down, ask: What would a 22-year-old fierce competitor do? Stay in it. Keep pushing.
Passion
Alcaraz left everything on the court. Passion often beats talent—it elevates average to excellent and moves others to act. I’ve seen it in my own life and in countless others. It was unmistakable on that clay court in Paris.
Physicality
You may not be a pro athlete, but how you show up physically still matters. Be prepared. Walk into meetings with confidence. Do the research. Ask for input. Physical presence, paired with mindset, creates impact.
We’re unlikely to play a high-stakes sports final—but we all face challenges that require energy, grit, and conviction. Bring those qualities to the table, and you’ll be lifting your own trophy soon enough.
