Did you see Serena Williams semi-finals match at the Australian Open? She beat Nicole Vaidisova 7-6 (5), 6-4. No one expected her to get this far. She came into this tournament unseeded and ranked 81^st in the world and has climbed into the top 20. If she can beat Sharapove in the finals, Serena will rank 14^th.

During her post match interview Serena talk about her hard work paying off. Whatever her program was and is, she committed herself to it and is seeing results. I’m sure some days were better than others. Even when she was playing some shots, games, sets and matches were better than others. Good and bad, they all were on her path to the goal. One minute, you think she has it won and the next she’s on verge of losing. Somehow, she pulls it out. Actually, at those moments when it seems not to be going her way, she is suddenly energized, focused and does exactly what she needs to do. She has to forget that last shot and focus on the next one. I really think that she is the Queen of the come back. Whatever she faces, she has to be ready to fight the next point. So far, her preparation has helped her to win each round. Nothing has been easy about any of this. It is work every step of the way.

While I’m not trying to be Serena, she clearly has some lessons to help me on my way. No one promised me that any of this would be easy. There is definitely some hard work ahead and some days will be easier than others. I have to keep toward the goal. I have to have the faith of a mustard seed that my goals, fitness and others, will be realized. Today was a good day and tomorrow will be another step toward the goal.

Philippians 3:13 (NIV) Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,