Win a practice match, nobody cares. Keep grinding. Win a groundstroke game against So and So, keep the head down. Keep grinding. Get an A on a test, don't tell the entire neighborhood. Keep grinding. Win the fastest sprint time in suicides, keep your mouth shut. Keep grinding. Date the prettiest girl in the school, get over yourself. Keep grinding. Get free equipment from Babolat...so what? Keep grinding. Got a chance to butt heads with a legend on the practice court, keep it to yourself. Keep grinding. Got a phone call from a top 10 college program, its not cocktail party gossip. Keep grinding.

Win that local, sectional, national, ITF pro circuit event? Good for you, celebrate with a Coke or cupcake. Celebrate rarely. Now get back out there and do it all over again.

Parents/coaches are guilty of building a child up. Raise the expectations, pressure rises, kids develop "Look-At-Me" syndrome and "Come-Save-Me" syndrome, and parents/coaches scratching the head at 18 why their kids strikes the best backhand in their locale, but can't seem to develop any consistency.

The best long-term organizations "grind regularly, celebrate rarely." Less flash, more substance. Everything is aimed at the long-term. Do not want attention. First one in, last one to leave. Egoless off the court, believes in their hard work under pressure on the court. Authentic, true to themselves. Spurs, Patriots, Warren Buffet, Duke Basketball...grind regularly, celebrate rarely. Pete Sampras, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal...they are not "Look-At-Me" guys.

This is a "You Problem" if your perception is unhealthy in the eyes of those you respect. Don't be that guy who is users of people, self absorbed, ego centric, delusional, rockstar demeanor. Tennis is unforgiving, forehands and backhands are only part of it. What is your culture off the court? Who are you surrounded with? Tell me who you are surrounded with, good chance you become your friends. Smart people like to hang out with smart people. Classy people hang out with classy people. Know-It-Alls hang out with Know-It-Alls. Flashy people hang out with flashy people. Lazy people hang out with lazy people.