I hate to lose. And that is how Nick Bollettieri became my friend.

When I was in my early 20s, I gave up my dreams of becoming a professional golfer. Actually, I am a pretty good golfer, but I knew that I wasn't going to be the next Arnold Palmer. Eventually I decided to seriously pursue the game of tennis. And I wanted to be really, really good.

I headed to Dorado Beach, Puerto Rico, in the early 1970s for some lessons with Nick. From the moment I gripped my racquet, I knew the ball was in my court. He worked me harder than I ever thought possible. As a coach, Nick is feisty, combative and one of the greatest motivators I've ever met. He always delivers more than he promises.

For those not fortunate enough to have worked with Nick, I am pleased to share news of his terrific new autobiography, "Bollettieri: Changing the Game." You needn't be a tennis lover to benefit from his story. Nick is a master motivator and one of the most competitive people you'll ever meet. He has dominated the field of sports training for five decades and is still going strong.

What makes an icon? What makes a one-in-a-million coach? What fuels his intensely competitive spirit? And what on earth keeps this 81-year-old so invulnerable to the challenges of a few decades?

The answers to all those questions start and end with one single trait: He has always been determined to be the best he could be. Nick could have entered any profession and he would have been a superstar.

The clinics he has conducted around the world are legendary. People of all ages and skill levels flock to his academies, now part of IMG Academy. Nick has coached and developed 10 No. 1-ranked players: Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Boris Becker, Monica Seles, Serena and Venus Williams, Martina Hingis, Maria Sharapova, Marcelo Rios and Jelena Jankovic.

Nick does double duty as a coach, both for the player and the parents of his prodigies. He defines the complex relationship: "The player can't be successful without player/parents/coach understanding each other's roles."

He founded the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in 1978, the first full-time tennis boarding school to combine intense on-court training with a custom-designed academic curriculum.

Teaching such a diverse group of students at so many skill levels requires a multi-dimensional approach. His secret? Find the idiosyncrasies of each individual and then work from there. His methods have been the secret to his success for 55 years of teaching.

Nick's total package blends technical and strategic on-court training with specialized performance physical training and mental conditioning. His goal is to go beyond training just the physical aspects of the game. He aims to prepare his students for a successful life off the court as well. His college major in philosophy creeps into lessons and long-term thinking.

Nick was a pioneer in the field, which means he took the arrows that go along with the territory. His vision wasn't shared by his peers (if he actually has any), and the critics didn't hold back. Then they saw his results. The noise eventually died down. As Nick says, "You don't coach skills. You coach people."

Nick demands the best from his students because he only gives them his best. He doesn't settle for average from anyone. Nick produces champions because he is a champion himself, and his students are the big winners.

He has established fabulous inner city youth programs for minority youth. Nick understands that they don't pay off on effort; they pay off on results. In my own hometown of Minneapolis alone, Inner City Tennis touches the lives of about 5,000 kids every year, as well as the 100-plus volunteer senior citizens who, as coach/mentor/tutors, build an intergenerational rapport with these children. The program focuses on the development of these young people in specific characteristics such as responsibility, respect, teamwork, enthusiasm, integrity, perseverance and service.

By the way, it is the only board that Nick has ever agreed to serve on, even though he has been asked to join hundreds.

Nick's story is well worth the read. Just as with his coaching, he doesn't hold back.

Mackay's Moral: Nick Bollettieri is a game changer -- he serves up aces from which we all can learn.

A man walking down a narrow, twisting road spotted a guru meditating on the grass.

"Excuse me, master," he called. "Is this the road to success?"

The old man nodded silently and pointed a finger in the direction the traveler was headed. He thanked the guru and hurried on his way. An hour later the man returned, bleeding and exhausted.

"Hey!" he shouted to the guru. "You told me that was the road to success! I walked that way, and right away, I fell into a ditch so deep it took me almost an hour to climb out! What's the matter with you?"

The guru stared at him, and then after 10 long seconds opened his lips to speak: "That is indeed the road to success. It lies just beyond the ditch."

The road to success is not without potholes. That's the problem with many of us. We quit before we find success. We let challenges beat us rather than rising to the occasion. We see only the difficulties in front of us, but not the opportunities that can grow from them.

My own formula for success includes:

-- Dogged determination.

-- Focus and the ability to finish.

-- Daring to dream.

-- Owning and learning from mistakes.

-- Looking at problems as opportunities.

-- Staying positive.

When Dale Carnegie was asked on a radio program to tell in three sentences the most important lesson he had ever learned, he said: "The biggest lesson I have ever learned is the stupendous importance of what we think. If I knew what you think, I would know what you are, for your thoughts make you what you are. By changing our thoughts, we change our lives."

In other words, the will to succeed very often determines our success.

Another important part of success is just getting out of bed. Benjamin Franklin pointed out that early to bed and early to rise can make you healthy, wealthy and wise. Unfortunately, the "early to rise" part is a problem for many people.

But if you want to get a good start on the day, you can't sleep your life away. I've found that if you establish a routine and get up at roughly the same time every day, your body wakes itself up. Give yourself a reason to get up. Pick something you're passionate about to work on first. You'll find it easier to get out of bed when you've got something exciting to look forward to. And you will most likely find it easier to achieve if you love what you do.

Being good at your job is only part of the recipe for success at work. You must also incorporate these key ingredients:

-- Positive attitude. Managers and co-workers alike appreciate the support of someone with an upbeat outlook. Don't hide your enthusiasm for your job and the organization you work for. Look for opportunities that arise from problems. Challenges help you grow.

-- Integrity. Be honest with people. When you don't have an answer, say so. Admit your mistakes (and concentrate on not repeating them). Keep your promises, and meet your deadlines. All this demonstrates your respect for other people and proves your reliability.

-- Willingness to try. Stretch out of your comfort zone. Volunteer for new tasks and extra responsibility. Take risks -- be realistic about what you can and can't do, of course, but don't back away from a challenge because of the possibility of failure. Ask the right questions so you understand the situation. Never be afraid of asking a "dumb" question. Be more concerned about having to claim ignorance after the fact.

-- Cooperation. Be a team player. Help your colleagues with their priorities. Share information instead of hoarding it. Know what your manager wants, and support him or her to the best of your abilities. Offer your support when people need it. When your team is successful, you are successful.

A wise man was counseling a young graduate who was preparing to start a new life. He said, "Remember there are three bones, and you will never have any trouble."

"How will three bones keep me out of trouble?" asked the student.

The elder explained: "There is a wishbone, a jawbone and a backbone. The wishbone keeps you going after things. The jawbone helps you find out how to go after them if you are in doubt, and the backbone keeps you at it until you get there."

Mackay's Moral: Success is sweet, but its secret is sweat.

You might have heard about the Chinese proverb that says, "When planning for a year, plant corn. When planning for a decade, plant trees. When planning for life, train and educate people." And part of that training should be developing a backup plan.

You may have made the best-laid plans, but what if something unexpected happens? I can't emphasize enough how important backup plans are. You should always have a Plan B and possibly Plans C and D. The bigger the deal or event, the more detailed your backup plan should be.

As I was building my envelope manufacturing company, whenever we had a big event, I would always ask everyone on my team, "What can go wrong?" And just as important, "What is our backup plan?"

Planning is time-consuming and, let's face it, many people don't like to do it. But you don't put all your eggs in one basket. That would be regarded as rash or unprofessional. That's why you need a plan and, equally important, a backup plan.

I'm a big believer in being prepared. How many special events, meetings, weddings or businesses have been ruined because people didn't have backup plans? We live in an imperfect world. If we don't plan for something to go wrong, something inevitably will.

Maybe it's an out-of-town speaker who can't make it to your event due to bad weather, traffic, or plane or car trouble. Or your audiovisuals go down, or there are transportation issues. There are a myriad of things that can go haywire.

I recently attended a charity event in a rural area. Ten minutes into the party, the lights went out. All the electricity was off. Bye-bye, catering. That also meant the plumbing was inoperational, because it ran on an electric pump. This was an evening event, so sunlight was not an option. Guests stumbled in the dark to their cars, leaving all the silent auction items still artfully arranged on the tables. The night was a total bust. The rescheduled event six weeks later -- at an area hotel -- drew fewer than half the original guest list. And raised half the anticipated funds.

People don't plan to fail; they fail to plan. In the above scenario, did anyone give any thought to an emergency generator?

When I'm asked about important skills for leaders, it's hard to beat a hungry fighter, but there are a lot of other traits that I look for, like planning skills.

Even if what you're planning seems like a sure thing, it's always good to consider the worst-case scenario. For example, in the early 1950s, Hewlett-Packard Co. founders Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard needed an additional manufacturing plant to keep up with the company's growth. However, they approached the venture with caution. They chose a general design that, in the event of a company failure or hard times, could easily double as a supermarket space they could lease.

Planning, and backup planning, saves precious time because you are prepared to act if any unforeseen circumstances arise. Rather than switching into panic mode, you can react with confidence.

When I am preparing to give a speech, I have some specific requirements, including a second microphone, spare batteries and a technician in the room. I carry a ruler and tape so I can enlarge the lip on the lectern so my papers don't scatter all over the floor. I tape over the door latches so the noise doesn't distract the audience if someone comes in late. When you have worked hard to deliver a quality product, it hardly makes sense to ignore the details. Plan ahead to prevent disasters.

Do you back up your computer files? Have you ever been working on your computer for an hour or two on an important document, when suddenly a power surge wipes out your masterpiece? You'll quickly learn to back up frequently.

Your career is no place to wing it. You need a career plan, and you need to review that plan on a regular basis. From getting an education to developing skills to finding the first job, knowing what path you want to take requires forethought. Assessing your career progress is part of your plan. If you decide to quit your job, you'd better have a backup plan. Or you can plan to be right back where you started.

Mackay's Moral: A plan isn't a plan until you have a backup plan.