Padel, also known as padel tennis, is a racquet sport that combines elements of tennis and squash. The sport was invented in Mexico in 1969 by a wealthy businessman Enrique Corcuera. Enrique loved tennis but lacked the space at his beachside home to build a full-size court.
To overcome this obstacle, he decided to create a smaller court that would fit into his backyard and play a similar sport. This game would require smaller wooden rackets, similar to those found on the beach for playing beach padel. The first padel court he built was 10 by 20 meters in size and enclosed by 3-4-meter-high walls, much like squash courts. A net was placed in the centre, dividing the court into two sections, similar to tennis. Padel was born out of necessity and Corcuera’s innovative thinking.
This new game soon became popular amongst his friends and neighbours and quickly spread to Mexico, other parts of Latin America and then to Spain. Today, padel is played in many countries around the world and is one of the fastest-growing sports.
Despite loving the game, I snapped my Achilles tendon playing padel. One minute I was three games up and a few seconds later a loud pop could be heard, and I was lying flat on my back with my foot hanging limply at the end of my right leg. It wasn’t a slight strain or tear; my Achilles tendon had literally snapped in two.
My life was about to change quite dramatically and there was absolutely nothing I could do about it. It needed surgery, the two pieces would be stitched back together, and a new piece of “fake” tendon would be threaded up and down both sides and inserted into my heel bone. One of my big toe muscles would also be redirected to join the Achilles to improve the blood flow, and in three to six months my Achilles would be as good as new and probably stronger than ever.
Yes, you read that correctly it would take three to six months to get back on my feet and start functioning normally again. For the first six weeks I couldn’t put any weight on my foot at all and it literally meant that I was confined to my bedroom for six weeks. Also partly due to the fact that it is upstairs and navigating two flights of stairs on one leg with crutches is both tricky and exhausting.
I rigged up my room with my laptop, mobile phone, iPad, and kindle, so that I could stay connected to the world and keep myself busy and entertained. The road to recovery had begun. My leg needed to stay elevated above my knee and heart and be iced four times a day. Going to the bathroom was a 15-minute procedure, as I had to place the foot in a moon boot and then make my way to the bathroom.
Showering was even more of a challenge; the wound could not get wet at all. It is quite amazing to see how creative you can become devising a shower plan to keep your leg dry. Mine was to place a plastic chair inside the shower, place a black bag over my moon boot and then tape it to my thigh with packaging tape. After undressing, I made the way into the shower positioning the chair in such a way that I could be seated inside the shower with my leg outside, another towel was then wrapped around the leg for extra protection to prevent any splashes finding a way inside the bag.
Ten blissful minutes followed as the water washed away both dirt and frustration. My former quick 5-minute morning shower routine had become a 45-minute process. Rather challenging times for someone born impatient like me, but there was absolutely nothing I could do about it but suck it up and find small enjoyment in my new daily routine.
Life had pushed the reset button, and I was slowly recharging one day at a time.
What valuable lessons have I learnt from a snapped Achilles tendon?
The first is patience, unable to go anywhere or do anything except lie on my bed, I learned how to become more patient. Something that was severely lacking in my life before, as I rushed around from pillar to post unable to be in the same room or place for more than a few minutes.
The second is the power of stillness. My queen-sized solitary confinement provided ample time for thinking and deep reflection, something that is often lacking in most of our lives as we are driven by tight schedules and looming deadlines.
The third valuable reminder is the miraculous healing power of the human body. Give it the right nutrition it needs, add some powerful supplements, and remove all the toxic junk from your diet, and it is incredible to watch how quickly the body can repair itself. A huge gaping wound about 15 centimeters long was almost invisible six weeks later. You can literally see the skin repairing itself right in front of you.
The final and most important lesson I have learned firsthand is the power of consistency.
I love eating and as a result a few unwanted kilos have settled comfortably on my hips. Over the last few years, I’ve tried all sorts of things, from intermittent fasting, skipping meals, eating different kinds of foods, all to no avail. The stubborn flesh hugging fat cells would not budge.
Unable to stroll through the supermarket aisles adding all my regular favourites to the basket and visit my favourite coffee shops, I simply ate three healthy plant-based meals each day. Nothing more, nothing less!
With all the temptations removed and providing my body with all the nutrients it needed, I was not hungry at all. Consistently sticking to this new routine has shifted the extra kilos that have so stubbornly sclung to me for so long.
The power of consistency. The power of pushing the reset button.
These powerful lessons can apply to your creativity as well. Creativity is like a muscle, if you don’t use it, you lose it. A position you might find yourself in. When last did you think up a new idea? Make something better, faster, or more efficient? Find a quicker or more efficient way of doing a daily task?
Perhaps it is time to push your creativity reset button. You cannot grow Schwarzenegger sized muscles overnight. To do this effectively takes time. It takes patience, and most importantly it takes consistency. Choose one or two new habits that can lay the foundation for better thinking and then practice them consistently for a few weeks, thinking muscles will grow and the ideas will come.
Consistency is a powerful tool that can help you achieve your goals and lead a fulfilling life. By developing consistent habits and routines, you can create positive momentum that builds over time. Remember that consistency is not about perfection, but rather about showing up and making progress, even if it’s small. Start small, be patient, and stay committed to your goals.
With consistency and innovative thinking, anything is possible.
Read more about creativity in Ideas Like Shoes