What 20 Years As A Tennis Coach Taught Me About Making A Living From My Passion

20 years ago (September 2003), I began working as a tennis coach. At the time, it represented a major step forward in my life.

This was the first job, I thought, where I was actually going to enjoy the work and get to make a living doing something I was interested in.

What happened next is 20 years of lessons learned, surprises and personal growth. Making a living from one of my passions was not, in any way, shape or form, what I expected it to be.

I now share the 4 lessons I've learned in the hope it will help you on your own journey.

1. YOUR PASSION MIGHT NEED TWEAKING 

No matter how passionate you may think you are about a certain job, or role, you never know what it’s going to be like.

At the start, teaching tennis wasn't fun. The children behaved badly and it felt like I was offering a babysitting service

However, despite this, I discovered I could mould my passion into what I wanted it to be.

Thoreau said, "Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself." Think of your passion this way and you'll avoid disappointment if it doesn't meet initial expectations.

2. EXPERIENCE TRUMPS QUALIFICATIONS

I've never completed any further qualifications than my initial, entry level course to become a tennis coach.

Why?

Because I've never needed to.

I know people who've spent lots of money on MBA's and Masters but never furthered their careers.

My desire to improve turned me into a good tennis coach, not the letters after my name.

The same could be said about speech therapist, Lionel Logue. After qualified 'experts' couldn't help King George VI with his stutter, the experienced, but unqualified, Logue did.

3. YOU MUST EMBRACE UNCERTAINTY

Making a living from your passion is not the same as earning money through a conventional career. Often, there’s no guarantee you’ll make any money at all.

As a tennis coach, bad weather, client turnover and building a client base caused anxiety.

However, by accepting this situation and approaching my work with enthusiasm, I discovered something amazing.

So long as you can transcend the feeling of uncertainty, and give your all to the work regardless of the risk, you step into a flow of abundance that always provides.

4. SOMETIMES YOU HAVE TO BE RUTHLESS AND MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS TO GROW

My first 7 years as a tennis coach were spent working for another coach.

When I decided to set up on my own, I took over at one of this coaches venues (I’d been working there exclusively but under his name)

This made an enemy out of my former boss. However, despite the conflict it created, it was the right thing to do.

He wasn't the most ethical of coaches and, sometimes, treated me badly.

The lesson?

Unless you're really harming another person, it's ok to put yourself first.