Tennis champion Rafa Nadal recently beat Novak Djokovic at the French Open to win his world record equalling 20th Grand Slam. He is a sportsman that I really admire. Not just because of his success (which is phenomenal!) but because of the way that he prepares to play.

This year was, of course, different. With the event unable to take place in its usual slot in the Grand Slam calendar, the French Open took place in autumn. The weather conditions were very different to those usually prevalent in Paris in May/June. In addition, some of Nadal’s matches happened in the early hours of the morning. It was cold and windy and the bounce on the ball was not what he was used to during this tournament.

In the face of those trying conditions, Nadal adapted so well that he didn’t lose a single set on the way to the final and went on to win, again, in three sets against his big rival, Novak Djokovic - one set fewer than any previous French Open final between the pair.

One of the things that also sets Nadal apart is his extensive use of rituals, which must have had a part to play in his French Open success. Everything needs to be in place for him before a match.

From the cold shower he always has to ground himself to the way he gets prepared in the dressing room, wraps the tape around his racket to which sock he will put on first. These very precise rituals give him an anchor and stability from the outset. He is primed to win.

How does this apply to us?

Developing these anchoring rituals is particularly valuable during these difficult times. I know from my own experience that good mornings tend to lead to better days, because I have morning anchoring rituals of my own.

What morning rituals could help you?

Each morning pre shower, I ask myself the following questions (which I call ‘GRELPC’) :

a. What am I GRATEFUL for? (e.g. gratitude for still being alive.)

b. When was I last RESILIENT? (e.g. responding to the challenges brought by Covid-19.)

c. What am I most EXCITED about? (e.g. the launch of Enterprise Sales Club and working with Rob, the Partners and the Ambassadors.)

d. Whom do I LOVE? (e.g. my family, my children and I remember my Mum and the unconditional love that she gave me.)

e. What am I most PROUD of? (e.g. continuing to get better every day and trying to serve my clients even better than I ever have before.)

f. What am I most COMMITTED to? (e.g. positively impacting 20,000 careers and building a community. More than that; to show my children how to build a community that is profitable and successful and human centric. This will mean that they won’t have to rely on working in a corporate environment and will be able to do that whenever they want to, and have the life they want whilst giving back and looking after people.)

What could you incorporate into your morning routine that would benefit you throughout the day:

If this kind of morning routine does not sound like something that would work for you, here are some other ideas that may resonate:

● Getting out for an early morning walk before you start the day;

● Writing morning pages - three pages of unconscious writing that help you structure your thoughts for the day;

● High intensity exercise; or

● Connecting with a human being (and that could very well be yourself) before connecting to the digital world.

Do you have a morning routine? If so, I would be curious to hear what works for you.

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