4 Ways My Tennis Career Prepared Me for Freelancing
Happy September 1st! In this post, you’ll learn…
🎾 4 ways my tennis career prepared me for freelancing
💼 How your skills are more transferrable than you think
📚 How to decide what skills to turn into freelancing services
4 Ways My Tennis Career Prepared Me for Freelancing
After spending six years with some great coaches in Southern California and Northeast Pennsylvania, the pandemic hit in 2020.
It allowed me breathing room to change the way I approached my tennis career.
I went from an employee to a nonessential worker to a freelance tennis coach once restrictions loosened.
That first taste of freelancing freedom was all I needed and it evolved into the writing and editing business I have today.
Here are the 4 ways my tennis coaching career prepared me for freelancing:
1. Be Flexible
For six years, my schedule changed daily—lessons were added or canceled; teaching pros called off and needed their clinics covered.
No day was the same.
As someone who thrives on a consistent schedule, I struggled with the uncertainty. I wasn’t flexible.
As I grew my tennis coaching away from clubs and bosses, I appreciated the flexibility in my schedule. It allowed me to adapt my day how I wanted and prepared me for what was to come with my writing and editing in 2021.
2. Don’t Be So Serious
Working with kids reignited my sense of play. While some kids took their tennis more seriously than others, there was a sense of joy, play, and fun on the court.
The kids who were there to learn and enjoy time on the court were the ones who helped me to rediscover my inner child. Not a single day passed without laughter or games.
The juniors who did take their tennis seriously—the ones who will likely be very successful in high school and college—taught me the same lesson.
They were so consumed by being great tennis players that having fun didn’t really exist for them. They would get upset, cry, yell at themselves, throw their rackets.
Sometimes they’d do all of the above and flat-out refuse to play.
I would go up to them—and let me tell you, it’s not fun going up to an 11-year-old who is spiraling out—and remind them: “This is a game. If you’re not playing for fun, if you aren’t enjoying yourself, what are we doing this for?”
With play such a huge part of my on-court life, I knew I had to adapt it to writing and editing.
I do my best to approach freelancing as a game.
Of course, I take my clients’ work seriously. The play reframe allows me to approach each day as a game so that I don’t overthink and self-sabotage.
Because if it doesn’t spark joy…why do it at all?
3. Consistency Is Key
It’s well known in tennis that the most consistent player will win the match.
Consistency is one of the most important skills in tennis, and consistency is needed to reach any one of our goals.
I knew I needed to show up every day when I began freelancing.
If you stick around long enough, show up on social media, and show up on your blog or newsletters (keep your fingers crossed for me), you’ll see results.
It’s up to us as freelancers to place value on what the results will be.
4. Passion Is Everything
Imagine two tennis players:
One hits stunning groundstrokes; the other’s technique is a bit wonky.
One takes lessons 3x a week; the other plays practice matches 3x a week.
One doesn’t care much for tennis once they’re off the court; the other constantly has their nose in a tennis book.
Who would you bet on?
I’d bet on the second type of player every time.
Often, the player who wants it more will end up winning the match. Will end up more successful.
Yes, a high skill set allows you to do something—play tennis, write a blog, edit a book—but if you don’t have passion for it, how much effort will you really put into it?
In my experience, passion can take you very, very far.
I was hired to my first coaching job (with no coaching experience and a losing college record) solely because I displayed more passion for the sport than other candidates who had a full resume of coaching jobs and impressive playing history.
I had a lot to learn when I got hired, but I threw myself into the sport: I played whenever I could, read whatever book my tennis mentor gave me, watched slow-mo videos of pro players hitting, and trained (and got my ass handed to me) with players off to D1 and D2 tennis programs.
There was a lot of blood, sweat, and so many tears. But I wouldn’t have done all that if I didn’t love (read: obsessed with) tennis.
That same passion has taken me far in my two years as a full-time writer and developmental editor.
It’s Not A Question: Your Skills Are Transferrable
It’s hard to find a job these days.
That’s why I’ll advocate for everyone to try freelancing, but I digress.
But there’s no doubt, that in 2023, it’s hard to find a job. Whether you’re making a lateral move, trying to entirely change industries, or beginning freelancing. You’re not alone.
What are transferable skills? They’re all the skills you take with you from one job to another. Transferable skills are every skill and morsel of knowledge you’ve gained throughout your whole life—old jobs, school, internships, etc.
These can be hard or soft skills.
Here’s a list of the top skills employers and clients, if you’re freelancing, value:
Active listening skills
Adaptability
Analytical skills
Communication
Dependability
Interpersonal skills
Leadership
Organization
Relationship building
Teamwork
Coursera has an incredible list of skills to get you started crafting an impressive CV.
And remember, whether you’re an employee or a freelancer, you aren’t just your role, you’re an amalgamation of your experience and skills you’ve honed over the years.
Deciding What Skills to Turn into Freelancing Services
After you’re finished compiling a list of your skills—skills (or hobbies) you enjoy doing—figure out what services you can create from them. It’s also important to consider your personality.
I’ll show you how I figured out what to offer when I first got into freelancing:
My education is in clinical psychology and research.
My job history is all tennis.
My hobbies are writing, reading, and being the best dog parent I can be.
My personality is quite analytical and introverted.
I took all of that and began offering blogs (in mental health, tennis, and pets), ghostwriting services, and alpha/beta reading for clients on Fiverr and Upwork. Over time, I continued educating myself and expanded my services.
Writing and, eventually, editing allowed me to take my hobbies, skills, passions, and personality and fuse them with the services I offer.
1 Journal Prompt to Get You Started
Reflect on the skills you’ve learned over your lifetime and write them down. As a budding freelancer, what services can you offer? Think of 1-3 services.
Keep the pen moving,
Kourtney