Sunshine and a thriving tennis community welcome me to Florida every spring.

(It’s my annual escape from unpredictable Pennsylvania weather.)

Because my business isn’t location-dependent, I’m able to work remotely, and I take full advantage of that flexibility.

Down there, I play tennis nearly every morning at 7 a.m.

The crew?

Mostly retired folks, many 15–20 years older than me, some in their 80s. You might assume that means an easy match, or a boring one.

But you’d be wrong.

These players have something that’s easy to underestimate: patience.

They’ve honed their game not through brute strength, but through precision, spin, and timing.

Their lob shots are ridiculous.

Their placement is sharp.

They’ve learned to read the court, and their opponent, with a kind of mastery that only comes from decades of experience.

So instead of trying to dominate, I treat these sessions as my spring training and leave my ego off the court. I use each rally as an opportunity to practice, to learn, to make the next shot just a little better than the last.

And that’s where patience comes in.

In tennis—and in business—patience isn’t about passivity. It’s about giving yourself the space to learn and adapt. It’s about seeing mistakes as data, not failure.

And it’s about understanding that the best moves often come after you’ve watched, waited, and gathered insight.

So here’s your challenge:

Where in your business are you rushing the shot?

What would happen if you allowed space to observe, strategize, and recalibrate?

Whether you’re leading a team or developing a new product, patience allows you to see more clearly, respond more wisely, and build more sustainably.

Next time you feel the urge to “win the point” right away, try making the next best move instead.