Tennis, Decision and Innovation

Just as I had previously mentioned how artists are entrepreneurs in nature, as they have to produce value out of something that at a first glance, doesn't have any value, athletes have to do the same.

Basically, (just like artists), they have to create value out of their 'body' and 'equipment', in terms of their performance. 

Even within the realm of performance, it you zoom in on the game in itself, there is a lot that can be said about innovation and tennis. Let us take a look at a scenario. If you are in a match 4-4, serving and it is 30-30...a medium-length ball lands on the left corner of your court, and your opponent is standing on the baseline, having just hit favorite forehand shot, but he/she didn't put too much on the ball, as you sensed a little bit of choking on his/her side. At this moment, you are faced with multiple (numerous...in fact infinite) options. Backhand down-the-line to go for a winner, backhand cross-court to be safe, backhand-slice down-the-line to set up for the next point, drop-shot, short-cross-court, run-around forehand, hit a short-low ball to coax the opponent in....etc etc. Winning the point is one of the objective at that time, but at the same time, you'd want to get the momentum to be with you. The decision that you make at that will make different sort of out come. Just as what the innovators are faced with...decisions.  And it is in the decisions that they make that results in different products.

Decisions and innovation...

Innovators, when they decide, they decide to pursue the option that makes most sense for them....something that is aligned with their  preference, something that they value.  In an ideal world, decisions that innovators make should be 'actively' decided, rather than 'passively' deciding based on what the innovators believes that the 'society' is looking for (as 'active' decisions has a component of 'passion'...which relates to 'why' the innovator is doing what he/she is doing).  Passion-driven active decisions are strong, but dangerous, as you would have the tendency to lose sight of the societal need (an example of where creativity doesn't translate to innovation). 

Heavy Metal Concert 

4th Industrial Revolution