Henry So serves up valuable life lessons
Hong Kong, 23 June 2020: Former Hong Kong tennis No.1 Henry So gave valuable insights into the motivation and discipline of elite athletes when he addressed a group of lawyers from Boase Cohen & Collins and our associate firm Charltons. Henry shared his story from first picking up a racquet in Australia at the age of nine – at the behest of his father – and detailed the challenges and setbacks he had to overcome to achieve his goal of becoming a professional athlete.
He pointed out how lessons learned in the world of sport could be applied to all walks of life, including the legal profession, and told his audience: “Everyone has ups and downs. Although your situation may be bad, for sure there will be others who are experiencing worse than you. Don’t waste time to dwell on the negatives. Be happy with what you have and continue to work hard towards your goals.”
After becoming the top-ranked junior in New South Wales, Henry earned a tennis scholarship to study in the United States, where he picked up college tennis’s Senior Player of the Year Award and prestigious Arthur Ashe Award before graduating with a degree in Actuarial Science from the University of Central Oklahoma. He was Hong Kong’s top player from 2006-08 and represented the territory in the Davis Cup.
Since retiring from playing, Henry has become a certified tennis coach, personal trainer and mentor. He has recently published a book, The Champion’s Mindset, which he co-ordinated with input from other top Hong Kong athletes.
BC&C Senior Partner Colin Cohen, who is also a Partner in Charltons, commented: “For our younger lawyers in particular it is important that they hear about the experiences of people outside the legal profession to give them a broader view of life and to understand the obstacles we all encounter. We are grateful to Henry for sharing his journey and giving us an insight into what it takes to succeed.”
Henry So addresses the audience and is later pictured with (from left) BC&C Partner Alex Liu, Senior Partner Colin Cohen and Charltons Partner Clinton Morrow.
