2008 Wimbledon champ, Venus Williams [1] turned pro at age 14. She won her first grand slam title at 20. Now at 28, she is still winning and she shared some of her secrets of success with Shape [2] and here are some highlights [3].
- On Motivation: As far as motivation goes, Venus tells us who has inspired her the most. It's Serena, no question. "Without her, I couldn't have achieved anything. She's helped me believe in myself." Serena loves to give Venus little sayings to remember, such as, 'If you take your opportunities, more opportunities will come.' "That got me through one final at Wimbledon," recalls Venus. "It was a ridiculously difficult match and I was behind until the last three minutes. I kept saying that line over and over in my head: 'If I take the opportunities on the court, more will come.' I was also thinking, 'I want to be like Serena; I want to win like Serena.' And I did."
- On Practice: She recommends you practice and practice more! It’s the key to confidence, says Venus. “You have to practice to develop your talents — and learn to enjoy putting the effort in,” she explains. She doesn’t just practice on the court; her gym routine keeps her in the winner’s circle.
- On Her Core: Her success on the court is not just her power serve, but a well conditioned core. "I dedicate one entire workout each week to it, but I also challenge it during other exercises – it's where so much of my power comes from."
To see what Venus thinks is the key to confidence, .
Source [4]