Success Isn’t Flashy—It’s Footwork

Footwork is underrated.

In most sports broadcasts and among fans, footwork doesn’t get nearly the attention it deserves. And I get it—footwork is boring.

One exception is a sport I love: tennis.

In tennis, even on national broadcasts meant for wide audiences—including casual fans—announcers often talk about footwork. And for good reason: footwork is directly tied to winning. If you don’t move well, you can’t get in position to hit the ball cleanly. You lose points, and eventually, the match.

IThe best tennis players are relentless about footwork. Their training shows during matches.

The difference between good and bad footwork is obvious in tennis. But outside of sports, “footwork” is just as important—and just as underrated.

Footwork in life isn’t about sprint drills, obviously. It’s the invisible prep and uncelebrated routines that make everything run more smoothly.

Here’s what “footwork” can look like at home:

• Making a grocery list and checking the pantry

• Packing a bag or ironing clothes the night before

• Taking five minutes to slow down before bed so you can sleep better—or right after waking up, so you’re less grumpy

• Drinking enough water, eating fresh produce, and getting enough fiber

• Putting commitments on the calendar—and saying no to prevent over-scheduling

• Getting to bed on time

• Doing a weekly temperature check

• Keeping clutter off the floor and putting things back where they belong

• Listening fully when connecting with family

• Scheduling dates

• Saying please and thank you

• Hugs, kisses, high fives

• Apologizing and making up after an argument

• Upholding screen time, junk food, and language rules

• Eating dinner together regularly

And here’s what it can look like at work:

• Keeping tasks transparent and centralized, with a clear owner

• Setting a small number of clear goals

• Prioritizing ruthlessly

• Sending agendas before meetings

• Debriefing after milestones

• Telling others what you expect—and asking what they expect of you

• Checking references

• Listening to teammates and taking time to build relationships

• Proofreading before sending a document or email

• Explaining why something matters

• Talking to customers and frontline staff

• Coaching regularly—not just once a year

• Clarifying action items, deadlines, and owners after meetings

• Laying out options and making the hard decisions

• Communicating changes before they happen

These things aren’t flashy—but they’re what put us in position to succeed.

Sure, the big things matter: the dream vacation, the multi-million-dollar project. And we should talk about them. Celebrate them. But what usually causes those things to fall apart?

We all know the answer: bad footwork.

The good news? We can get better at it.

Pick one thing—whether it’s loading the dishwasher or sending out clear post-meeting notes—and work on it relentlessly until it becomes muscle memory. Then move on to the next.

We all need better footwork. And we can get it—just like elite tennis players.

Because the difference between succeeding and failing—at home, at work, and on the court—is rarely luck or the world being unfair. It’s usually footwork.

The Tennis Mindset: Express, Forget, and Refocus

Of all the sports I’ve ever played, tennis demands the most mental toughness.

In tennis, maintaining a positive and aggressive state of mind is crucial throughout the match. If you’re not positive enough, your muscles tighten, leading to overthinking and missed shots. Conversely, if you’re not aggressive enough, you won’t take the necessary risks to win points.

The key to staying in this optimal mindset is learning to forget points quickly. Each point in tennis carries emotional weight, whether it’s a win or a loss. However, carrying these emotions from point to point disrupts the flow state essential for a tennis player. Therefore, it's vital to let go of previous points, regardless of whether they were good or bad.

The moments between points in tennis are crucial for resetting your mindset. This brief pause is the only opportunity to unload emotions and regain focus. To move on effectively, a tennis player must express all their emotions—whether positive or critical—between points, ensuring no lingering feelings disrupt their game.

The essential lesson here is to express, forget, and refocus on the point ahead.

This lesson from my time as a boy who grew up playing sports has profoundly impacted my adult life: the necessity to express myself every day, even if it's just in my journal. This need to express is a significant reason I’m committed to writing on this blog weekly.

Expressing myself allows me to calm down and gain the mindset required to truly listen and pay attention to those around me—whether it’s my family or my team at work. This ability to express and unload my thoughts is critical because if I can’t listen, I can’t love. If I can’t listen, I can’t solve problems. If I can’t listen, I can’t support others.

Even a five-minute free-write or singing songs from my karaoke favorites playlist on the way to work helps me to express, forget, and refocus.

I am so grateful for the chance to play and watch tennis because this lesson has been so impactful in my life. To anyone whose interest was piqued by this post, my advice is simple: express yourself every day. Whether it’s writing in a journal, talking to an old friend, or taking a few minutes to draw, do something daily that allows you to embrace the tennis mindset of express, forget, and refocus.

This simple lesson from one of the world’s great sports - to express, forget, and refocus - is the key to truly listening. By listening, we create the space to solve problems and form loving relationships with those around us.