Ying Sheng Lin from Taiwan has played tennis since high school. He played on his high school and college tennis teams and has participated in tournaments. Tennis requires both strong physical and mental abilities. Through playing tennis, Lin has developed mental toughness, persistence, relaxation techniques, and strategic thinking skills. These skills help him stay focused, calm, and motivated in difficult situations. They also allow him to work independently to solve problems and think strategically to gain advantages over opponents or competitors. In conclusion, tennis has strengthened Lin physically and mentally, enabling him to execute tasks without errors and resolve issues effectively.

1. I. Show us an activity you enjoy doing.
Tell us how you think it contributes to
your personal and professional
development
IE International MBA Application Essay

2. Tennis

3. Profile
My name is Ying Sheng Lin from Taiwan. I
started playing tennis at 16 years old back
in high school because of the influence of
a Japanese comic called “The Prince of
Tennis”.
I played both in high school and college
tennis team. And I’d participated in various
tournaments or competitions.
For me, tennis is a sport that requires both
strong and stable physical and mental
condition, and via practice this sport, it
gives me an edge in my professional
development.

4. How does tennis contributes to
my personal and professional
development?

5. Mental Toughness

6. Mental Toughness
Tennis is a sport that consists of
physical strength and mental
ability, the ability to focus on every
single match and every single
point without a lapse. Chances to
win the game will be limited if the
players’ mental strength is weak.
By playing tennis, I learned how to
control my mental state and
thoughts. This not only helps me
be calm and motivated in dilemma,
but stay focused on performing
and executing each mission, just
like how I play each point on court!

7. Persistence

8. Persistence
One tennis match can last for over
11 hours or can be finished in less
than 20 minutes. A game can be
played for more than 10 deuces or
simply a few strokes.
Learning to stay persistent and
never give up on each point is a
crucial factor as the match might
be determined by one or two
plays.
Also the more persistent you are
on each play, the more pressure
you’re pushing back over the net
that have opponents making
unexpected mistakes.

9. Relaxation

10. Relaxation
“Tennis is the loneliest sport”
― Andre Agassi
Unlike other sports that players
are accompanied by teammates,
coaches or trainers. Tennis players
are fighting on court alone with
anxiety, nervousness, loneliness,
emotions, etc. All these affect our
brains, muscles, breaths that lead
to unforced errors.
Hence, relaxation techniques help
to minimize negative emotions and
reduce the chances of making
mistakes

11. Strategic Thinking

12. Strategic Thinking
As every sport requires, playing
smart and strategically gives you
an edge over your opponents.
On the court, the combinations of
different shots and directions can
be thousands. Being able to use
these variations strategically to
maneuver your opponents both
physically and mentally increases
the chances to win.
Playing tennis teaches me how to
think efficiently and effectively at
work or life through complex
situations.

13. In conclusion
Playing tennis not only strengthens my
physical ability but also trains me mentally.
Only if the mental condition is strong and
stable can a person calmly executing
anything without committing errors.
Also learning to stay relaxed but persistent
in difficulties enables me to work
independently and resolve problems more
effectively.
Last but not least, being able to think
strategically helps me predict the
opponents’ or competitors’ next move, and
maneuver them into committing mistakes.

14. Thank you!