Know Thyself: The First Rule of the Game

On the importance of self-awareness.

Last week, I caught up for dinner with a school friend of mine, Nicholas Scott. He coaches teenagers who aspire to become professional tennis players.

He asked me a very interesting question:

“Adam, I coach super talented kids all over the world. I always start by asking them the same question: ‘OK, so describe your game to me.’ What do you think the most common answer is?”

As I started to formulate an elaborate response, he cut me off. “Nope. The most common answer is: ‘Ummm’.”

“And what’s the next thing they say after that? ‘Probably …’ “.

The Delphic Oracle got it right 2500 years ago – in tennis, as in business, as in life – the first commandment is and always will be: Know thyself.