Compass No.24
An unforgettable US Open, Roger Federer's tennis lessons, and the power of humor
Thought provoking story
Normally, I finalize this section ahead of the weekend, but I had a feeling there would be something great to share from the 2025 US Open. Needless to say, it did not disappoint with a victory from J.J. Spaun; a first time major winner at age 34.
Not only did Spaun sink an epic 64.5 foot birdie putt on hole 18 to clinch the victory, but he made one hell of a comeback after making 5 bogeys on the front nine and getting some seriously unlucky breaks (just watch this clip)! The announcer called that shot one of the worst breaks of the entire week, which is saying something given the fact that Oakmont proved to be such a difficult test for the pros that Spaun was the only player who finished under par…
Perhaps what’s most notable about Spaun is that he nearly retired last year after coming close to losing his PGA tour card, and today he is a first time major winner. If that’s not a lesson in perseverance and refusing to give up, I don’t know what is.
Here's a great quote from Spaun's coach, Adam Schriber, which was featured in this NBC Golf story: Spaun told Schriber he felt he needed to play perfect golf to win. Schriber’s response?
“No. What you need is a perfect attitude. You’re going to hit good shots that are going to get f---ed because that’s how this place is, and you can either react or respond. You know what you need to do.”
Speech insights that stayed with me
I really enjoyed listening to Roger Federer’s 2024 Commencement Address at Dartmouth College where he shared the “tennis lessons” from his storied career that can be applied on and off the court.
Lesson #1: “Effortless is a myth.”
Federer speaks about how even when his game looked “natural,” it didn’t come easy.
He went on to talk about how belief in yourself is something that has to be earned. In his view, he finally earned that belief during the 2003 ATP finals where he finally started going after his opponents strengths, rather than shying away from them. He said, “I took a chance by doing it. So why did I do it? To amplify my game and expand my options. When you’re game breaks down, you have something left.”
Lesson #2: “It’s only a point”
Despite his tremendous success on the court, he mentions that he still only won 54% of points played. Hence, the importance of the mindset mentioned above.
“When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world because it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. This mindset is really crucial because it frees you to commit to the next point, and the next point after that with intensity, clarity, and focus.”
Lesson #3: “Life is bigger than the court.”
Federer makes the point that it’s important to remember to keep perspective, take chances, and do things before you feel ready; a lesson that’s top of mind as he navigates the next chapter of his life post tennis.
“Tennis could show me the world but never be the world.”
Question inspired by a recent essay
Last week I wrote about how humor can be an easily forgotten tool that helps us take down the pressure and reset during the moments in life where it is all too easy to catastrophize, ruminate, and focus on the negative.
To tap into humor, try writing a fake tweet that playfully roasts your current situation or mindset. PGA Tour pro Michael Kim's recent X posts are a great example of this approach in action.