Your Temperament Is Your Blueprint For Life…

In this Article, you’ll learn why it’s critical to understand, accept, and learn how to use your Temperament. It will help you win more at whatever game or games you play.

That includes your personal Game of Life.

In fact, your Temperament is your “Blueprint for Life.”

How Do You Play?

You already have a sense of how you play games.

Think about how you play board games, card games, video games, sports, and any other kinds of games you like.

The question is why do you play the way you play?

Do you play…

• Aggressively?
• Conservatively?
• By gut-instinct?
• Logically?
• Planned?
• Spur-of-the-moment?
• Fast?
• Slow?
• Spontaneously?
• Thoughtfully?
• With or without plans, a system, a strategy?

There are unlimited ways to play games for fun, in competition, and the Game of Life, too.

Your Play Matches Your DNA…

The way you play is in your DNA.

It was hardwired into you at birth.

You can’t change it.

Your Temperament And Your Tennis

In this Article, I’m going to use tennis as an analogy for any game, sport, or activity you enjoy.

And, as you’ll discover, the analogy also applies to your personal Game of Life.

I chose the tennis analogy to make the point because tennis is an individual sport.

You’re an individual.

See how the analogy fits already?

Plus, I’m an expert at Temperaments and Tennis. I play competitively. I’ve taught and worked with high school and college coaches and high school and college tennis players and teams around the US on this.

I know from first-hand experience how it works in real life.

You’re As Unique As Your Fingerprint And Your DNA…

Have you ever played or watched a tennis match?

You’ll immediately discover that no two players play exactly alike.

There are similar styles of play we can group together for convenience.

For example, we have:

• The aggressive baseliner;
• The serve and volley player;
• The all-court player; and,
• The counter-puncher.

But, even within those groups or categories, each individual does it his or her own, unique way.

They’re mixing and matching styles as needed. They’re blending.

And, at the same time, everyone has his or her most natural, dominant style of play.

So it is with you and your games.

Look at the descriptions below and see where you fit.

You’ll learn a lot about yourself.

Faking It…

Your unique playing style is in your chromosomes, genes, DNA, and Temperament.

It’s part of your fundamental nature.

It’s the most natural way for you to play.

The problems start when coaches, friends, parents, or others teach you to play in ways that conflict with your Temperament.

People fall into four distinct groups or categories of Temperaments.

Your Temperament is a manifestation of your genuine, DNA based fundamental nature.

You’re a blend of the four Temperaments, but one is your “Core Dominant Temperament™.”

While you were growing up, your parents, teachers, and society as a whole were teaching you to fit in. To be normal. To be the way “they” thought you should be.

You were taught and you learned to put on a variety of different faces, masks, and personalities. You loaded them up on top of your fundamental, genuine self. On top of your Temperament.

Combined, they added up to numerous fake versions of you… Fake You’s.

They also caused you to lose connection with your Temperament…your genuine self.

However, your true Temperament was still there. Unchanged and unfazed.

It is what it is. You’re stuck with it from birth, like it or not.

In times of high stress or conflict, when the pressure’s on, your Temperament is likely to rise up, influence, take over from the Fake You, and dictate how you respond.

Regardless of how hard you try to be the Fake You or what you think you “should” be doing, your natural self, will take over.

Therefore, the more closely you are in tune with your true Temperament, the better.

And, the less you try to be the Fake You, the more you’ll enjoy what you’re doing and the better you’ll be at it.

The Four Temperaments…

If you don’t already know what your Core Dominant Temperament™ is, it’s important that you take our Free Temperament / Personality Test right now. Otherwise, the rest of this won’t make much sense to you.

Yellow Phlegmatics…

Basic Prevailing Wants: Stability, Consistency, Peace, Tranquility

Motto: “I Do It The Easy Way.”

• Easy Going
• Deliberate
• Slow & Steady
• Patient
• Loves Consistency
• Hates Conflict, Confrontation, and Risk

Your most natural tennis playing style is defensive counter-puncher.

You’re naturally suited to playing a calm, cool, collected, consistent game. You’re a natural retriever. You can overcome opponents with your patience.

If you try to be an aggressive, offensive player all the time, you’ll wear yourself out.

You’ll be fighting your Temperament as well as your opponent. You’ll have to double your effort. And, you’ll end up doubling your stress.

You should be reasonably aggressive in appropriate circumstances. Attack when the opportunity presents itself. Don’t force it though.

Wait for your opportunities. You have the patience for it. Use that to your advantage.

From a stroke standpoint, you need to be solid and consistent from the baseline. You don’t have to be powerful. Consistency is your watchword.

Control points, games, and matches by grinding your opponents down mentally.

Examples old and new, men and women include:

• Sloan Stephens (who recently won the US Open with only six unforced errors in two Championship Sets)
• Chris Evert
• Bjorn Borg
• Michael Chang
• Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario
• Kim Clijsters
• David Ferrer
• Kei Nishikori

Blue Sanguine Temperament…

Basic Prevailing Wants: Fun, Popularity, Recognition

Motto: “I Do It The Fun Way”

• Creative
• Energetic
• Fast Paced
• Intuitive
• Impulsive
• Easily Bored
• Impatient
• Loves Fun & Spontaneity
• Hates Rules & Routine

Whether in practice or in play, you’ll always find ways to make your tennis fun. If it (or anything else) isn’t fun for you, you’ll quit.

You’ll naturally lean towards being an all-court player.

You love variety.  You’ll naturally want to have plenty of variety in your game just for the fun of it if nothing else.

You don’t think your way through matches. You feel your way through matches.

You’re inclined to be spontaneous. You’ll go for the shot that feels right at the time.

Even if you start with a game plan, don’t be too hard on yourself if it falls by the wayside.  At some point, your natural flair, creativity, and instincts will probably take over.

Since you’re impatient, you’ll end up playing pretty aggressively. You’ll want to avoid long, boring points.

In practice, you’ll want to keep drills short because you’ll get bored easily.

You prefer games of some sort rather than just drilling. You’ll figure out ways to turn drills into games if you can.

Your talent, creativity, impatience, spontaneity, and feel can lead to amazing results. And, to monumental catastrophes.

Be prepared.   And, either way, have fun and stay true to yourself.

Examples include:

• Novak Djokovic
• Gael Monfils
• Janko Tipsarevic
• Li Na
• Bethany Mattek-Sands
• Andre Agassi
• Jimmy Connors

Green Melancholy Temperament…

Basic Prevailing Wants:  Order, Progress, Accuracy, Thoroughness

Life Motto:  “I Do It The Right Way”

• Calm
• Disciplined
• Analytical
• Perfectionist
• Patient
• Loves Order, Plans, Problem Solving
• Hates Disorganization, Criticism, Embarrassment

As a thinker, analyzer, and problem solver by Temperament and nature, your natural tendency will be toward an all-court game and style of play.

Notice, this is the same as the Blue Sanguines.

How can that be when you’re the polar opposite of Blue Sanguines?

It’s because you want the all-court game for different reasons.

The Blue Sanguines need to feel spontaneous and unrestricted.  They feel their way through matches.  They need the all-court style to give them the freedom to be spontaneous and creative.

You like it so you can problem solve.  You like it so you can analyze and think your way through matches.

You’ll go into your practices and matches with plans, strategies, and tactics in place.  You’ll try to execute with patience and precision.  You’ll strive for perfection.

If the plan isn’t working, you’ll be analyzing on the go.  You’ll figure out how to improve.  You’ll already have a Plan B.  You’ll execute it as needed.

In addition, if that’s not working you’ll have a Plan C, D, and more.

To you, tennis is another analytical problem-solving exercise.

You need the shots for an all-court game so you can consistently adjust and problem solve every situation.

In practice, you’re tireless.

You’re happy to just drill and drill and drill.  You’re seldom bored.  You have self-discipline, patience, and focus.

You’ll have a set routine for your practice, your pre-game preparation, and your warmup.  Not out of superstition like other players might.  It’s because you thrive on plans, order, and routine.

Examples Include:

• Roger Federer – the epitome of the Green Melancholy tennis player.  No one else has his amazing variety of shots and strategic options.  And, nothing needs be said about his continually improving his game throughout his career.
• Monica Seles – she said her tennis dream was to play a “perfect” match with zero unforced errors.
• Venus Williams
• Pete Sampras
• Samantha Stosur
• Andy Murray
• Rafael Nadal
• Milos Raonic

Red Choleric Temperament…

Basic Prevailing Wants:  Achievement, Competition, Control, Winning

Life Motto:  “I Do It My Way”

• Competitive
• Controlling
• Impatient
• Risk Taker
• Results Oriented
• Loves Control, Competition, Winning
• Hates Losing, Indecision, Laziness

Your nature makes you the most aggressive, competitive, and controlling of the Temperaments.

Your Temperament propels you towards an aggressive, fast, high risk, do-or-die style of play.

Whether you move forward aggressively or play aggressively from the backcourt, your goal is always to be in charge of every point and dictate play from start to finish.

You’re likely to score more winners and make more errors than the other Temperaments.

You’ll have a singular plan and stubbornly stick to it.

The plan is simple:  Dominate your opponent and control the match.

You like short practices with defined goals.  You’re never want to waste time.

You’re difficult to coach because you believe you already know more than the coach does.  He or she will try to tell you what to do and how to do it.  You’ll resist.

You’ll display a quick temper on court.

You may find yourself challenging line calls that go against you.  You’ll complain about things your opponents do that irritate you.

Being outspoken gives you an additional sense of power and control over the game or match.

Doing so also helps motivate and energize you.

Examples Include:

• John McEnroe – one of the “Reddest” players ever
• Martina Navratilova
• Serena Williams
• Nick Kygrios
• Boris Becker
• Maria Sharapova
• Bernard Tomic

The Bottom Line…

 Practice and play everything in your life in ways that are in alignment with your Temperament.

That’s one of the key elements to reaching your maximum tennis (and life) potential.

Nick Saviano writes in his book Maximum Tennis:

“Be true to yourself and develop a style of play consistent with your personality. That sounds like an obvious point but really it is not. Sometimes even players at the professional level lose their way when it comes to playing the right strategy.”

Get In Harmony With Your Temperament

If you’re in harmony with your Temperament, you’re doing what comes naturally.

When you’re doing what comes naturally, you’re maximizing your potential in the easiest way possible.

If you’re not in harmony with your Temperament, you’re fighting it. You’re making it harder on yourself than it needs to be.

You cannot win a fight against nature. You cannot win a fight against your Temperament.  Not in the long run.

The number of juniors, seniors, high school, college players, weekend warriors, and club players trying to play the way they think they “should” play is a major problem.

They don’t know their Temperaments. They’re unaware of their basic, natural, fundamental, hardwired strengths, weaknesses, traits, and characteristics.

They have no idea how to use them to their advantage.

If they happen to match their playing style with their natural, fundamental qualities, it’s purely by accident.

Why does it happen that way?

It can be the influence of well-meaning coaches, parents, or teachers.

Plus, players often try to play a style like their favorite ATP or WTA pro…their tennis idols.

When you try to play a game in ways that are contrary to your Temperament, you don’t give yourself the chance to be your best.

You make it hard on yourself to reach your full potential.

You also don’t give yourself the chance to enjoy your tennis as much as possible.

No Guarantees…

Playing according to your Temperament is no guarantee of success.

Every Temperament has strengths and weaknesses. No one Temperament is better for winning matches.

Look at the names on the example lists, above, for each Temperament Type. Big time champions come in all the Temperaments.

All other things being equal, every Temperament can win against every other Temperament.

Plus, there are many other factors involved.

We have to consider:

• Physical attributes;
• Speed;
• Quickness;
• Athletic ability;
• Anticipation;
• Hand-eye coordination;
• Strength;
• Conditioning;
• Stamina; and,
• Intangibles like mental fortitude.

Winning More With Less Effort

But, if you understand and embrace your Core Dominant Temperament and learn to be true to yourself within your own physical and mental capabilities, you’ll have an edge.

With that edge, you’ll be more likely to win matches.

You’ll be more likely to produce your best effort.

You’ll be more likely to enjoy practicing, playing, and even thinking about your game.

And, let’s not forget this is not limited to tennis.

These principles, facts, and truths apply to any game you play.

Also to your work. To your relationships. To your family. To your health. To your lifestyle.

And, most importantly, they apply to your personal Game of Life, too.

Play your whole life in ways that are consistent with – rather than in conflict with – your Temperament.

That’s how to give yourself the best chance to reach your full potential in everything you do.

Being in harmony with your Temperament is the secret to winning more with less effort…in every area, aspect, situation, and circumstance of your games and your life.