Stage 2 — What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Stage Title: What Is Emotional Intelligence?

Estimated Time: 10 minutes

What You’ll Learn:

• The definition of emotional intelligence (EQ)

• The five core components of EQ

• How EQ applies directly to tennis

Core Lesson:

Emotional intelligence (EQ) has five core components:

1. Self-Awareness — Recognizing your emotions as they happen.

2. Self-Regulation — Managing your emotional reactions so they don’t hijack your performance.

3. Motivation — Using your emotions to drive effort, persistence, and recovery.

4. Empathy — Understanding what others are feeling (opponent, partner, parent, coach).

5. Social Skills — Communicating and relating to others effectively.

In tennis, these show up as:

EQ Component Tennis Example

Self-Awareness “I notice I’m getting tight serving for the set.”

Self-Regulation “I take a breath, slow my tempo, and commit to my target.”

Motivation “I compete harder after losing a close first set.”

Empathy “I can tell my doubles partner is rattled, so I say something steadying.”

Social Skills “I thank my opponent and handle the handshake with class after a tough loss.”

The good news: unlike IQ, EQ can be trained. That is what FBTL does.

Apply It Today:

Think of a recent match or practice. Which EQ component showed up strongest for you? Which one was hardest to access?

Write: “In my last match, I was strongest in _. I struggled most with _.”