A Life of Ongoing Incremental Growth

I had a unique opportunity to consider the answer to the question “how did you get here?” I had been picked to be the honoree for the Points for Patriots charity fundraiser, held at the New York Athletic Club in NYC on March 6. 

How did I go from being a local club tennis pro to becoming a performance/executive coach for founders, portfolio managers, and traders on Wall Street?

Above: Bob Litwin at a book signing at the US Open. Photo: Bob Litwin / Facebook

How did I go from losing a lot in tennis tournaments at 35 to becoming the #1 ranked player in the world in the 55 and over division? 

How did I survive the loss of my wife, Carol, an angel, at age 62 to, now, living the best stories of my life with Jo Ann, another angel, living in Colorado after 64 years in New York?

It took many hours of writing, over and over again, to find the right story to tell in a way that might make a difference to those sitting in front of me that night. My hope was that I could briefly share my story of developing a growth mindset that helped me change over time. And to talk about some ways of thinking, being, and doing that might help others get on a path to live best stories of their lives.

What follows is the speech that I gave on that night.

Video

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Bob Litwin won 29 US National Championships and 3 World Championships. He became an 11-time member of the Senior Davis Cup and was ranked No. 1 in the world in the 55s. He's also been recognized as National Senior Player of the Year. Litwin was the first non touring pro (and non college player) to be inducted into the Eastern Tennis Hall of Fame whose member list includes Arthur Ashe, Althea Gibson, John McEnroe, Vitas Gerulaitis, Don Budge and others. Litwin's book, “Live the Best Story of Your Life: A World Champion’s Guide to Lasting Change,” was touted by Huffington Post as its No. 1 self-help read. Photos courtesy of Bob Litwin.