When asked what his secret was, see what Rafael has to say. It's amazing.
″The secret is probably the passion and the love for what you are doing.”
It must be noted that the journey has not been smooth because Nadal has faced many challenges throughout his career, especially health and severe injuries.
“It’s impossible to have a successful and very long career if you really don’t love what you do,” Nadal added.
Rafael Nadal is known throughout his career for being a passionate and intense competitor who, despite years of success, still seeks perfection on the court, even when he’s only practicing.
“In practice, he’s searching constantly for the perfect shot, the perfect forehand,” former tennis champion Mats Wilander recently told The New York Times about watching Nadal prepare for a match.
“I think I had a lot of issues during all my tennis career in terms of health,” Nadal told reporters in June. “So I always played with high intensity, big passion for this sport.”
Of course, the idea of “following your passion” to success has become something of a cliche, and more than a few business leaders like Mark Cuban say that’s bad advice. Apple CEO Tim Cook, for instance, says it’s “a total crock” to suggest that doing what you love means that work will be easy and success will be sure to follow. However, Cook does believe that finding a career you are passionate about will make you work harder, and that you won’t mind putting in the extra effort.
“You will work harder than you ever thought possible, but the tools will feel light in your hands,” Cook said in a commencement speech at Tulane University in May.
Nadal’s road to success has definitely not been short on hard work — he reportedly trains six-and-a-half hours a day, six days a week during the offseason — and, he’s certainly adamant that he’s still enjoying himself.
“I am playing tennis because I love to play tennis,” Nadal told reporters after Sunday’s U.S. Open win. He added: “I play to be happy.”
Do you agree that passion or love for what one is doing can take one this far? Drop your comments below.
Based on this CNBC report.
