As the new year approaches, Steve Smith and co-host Dave Anderson step back and re-center on the fundamentals that drive long-term development in tennis and in life: being proactive, prioritizing what matters, and committing to steady improvement. They connect timeless principles to junior development, especially grips, habits, and the idea that “winning” is built through process and skill-building rather than a scoreboard-driven mindset.

The conversation also highlights a set of ten "life lessons” drawn from a GreatBase student: being all-in, outworking the room, showing gratitude and respect, valuing character before technique, and doing the ordinary an extraordinary number of times. Steve and Dave discuss, on episode 281, why the best growth comes from “Program Plus" - the work done away from the lesson, the court, and the spotlight. The pair closes with a practical mindset for 2026: simplify goals, avoid spreading yourself thin, and make daily routines measurable and repeatable.