Let Roger Federer Tell You His Secret to Success [Video]

In this video posted by sponsor Credit Suisse, Roger Federer reveals his approach to success, to winning and to tennis.

The feature was taped in Hong Kong last fall with Federer participating in a Q&A with the bank employees – imagine Federer showing up for a Q&A at your place of work!

Federer says without any goal, any targets, he cannot compete properly. He also reveals that it’s okay to take a loss once in a while, and he says he’s never been scared to take the those losses.

Federer: I don’t think it’s enough just to love your sport and then go out and win. It’s not that simple. You need to have structured goals. You need to tell yourself “Okay, what are my goals for the short term? What are my goals for the long term?” Now that I’ve accomplished almost everything – I’m supposed to go out on the tennis court saying “Let’s just be free and hit the ball. Who cares?” This is not how you’re going to win matches, because it comes down to margins and you have to be so clear in your mind in order to know exactly what you want to do and what you want to achieve. And for me, it doesn’t work without any goals, without any targets. I cannot compete properly.

More Federer: At smaller tournaments, sometimes you have to take a hit and say “Okay, I’m going in here a little bit wounded, but I’m working on a few things. I’m not happy, but I’m okay taking a loss once in a while.” And I’ve never been scared to take those losses now and then, but you have to be smart when you’re allowing them to happen.

Roger also puts emphasis on working on strengths rather than spending time fixing your weakness – we see that a lot of with players. (And strengths is spelled wrong [corrected now in the video] and at the 3 minute marks Roger’s playing left-handed!).

On the subject of off-court/on-court, he says he’s “mastered” the the relationship of “cutting” the two off from one another.

Here’s Roger Federer explaining the secrets to his success: