1st in a series on the psychology of winning Winners have more awareness than the average person. They are well aware of how little they really know about anything in their world. They are eager to learn, especially about their own impact on their quality of life. Winners display positive self-awareness. Positive self-awareness is self-honesty. … More Positive Self Awareness
Examining the psychology of winning, we can compare life to a game, but it’s not like a game of football. In life there are no time-outs, no substitutions and the clock is always running. Most people think life is a practice game with the “big play” or “Super “Bowl” coming up at the end of … More The Psychology of Winning
I was listening to an interview with Tsitsipas after he lost to Djokovic at the 2021 French Open. He said after Djokovic came back from a bathroom break, he was facing a different player. The reporter asked him what specifically was different about Djokovic. Tsitsipas said he seemed to “know exactly where I was going … More Fear
“Death kills us once. Fear kills us over and over again” – General Patton “Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when you’re scared” – General Omar Bradley Fear is the one thing that holds most athletes back from reaching their full potential. Some call fear “the thief of dreams”. Yet fear is a … More Courage: 6th in the series, “The Ingredients to Becoming Successful”
“Pressure creates tension, and when you’re tense you want to get the task over and done with as fast as possible. The more you hurry in, the worse you probably will play, which leads to even heavier pressure.” Jack Nicklaus When players perform under pressure, they may experience stress, panic, and anxiety. Most players react … More Performing Under Pressure: 5th in the series, The Ingredients to Becoming Successful””
Competition by its nature triggers a lot of thoughts and internal dialogue. It also triggers a lot of emotions ranging from joy and excitement to fear, frustration, anger, and disappointment. Thoughts and emotions are at the root of most of our actions and behavior and therefore have a profound effect on our performance. Controlling thoughts … More Control: 4th in a series of articles on “The Ingredients to Becoming Successful”
“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later, the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.” Vince Lombardi Confidence is knowing you have the ability to meet the demands of a situation you are likely to face. When you are confident, you feel positive, optimistic, … More Confidence
Your mind is the most powerful thing you have going for you. You can choose to use the power of your mind to do exactly what you want to do, or set the power of your mind aside and settle for less. Most people in life don’t expect much, so, they don’t give much and … More Create A Vision of Who You Want To Be – 1st in a series of articles on “The Ingredients to Become Successful”
Most tournament players believe that if they play well, they should win. To beat good opponents takes more than just playing well however. You have to plan the work and work the plan. A game plan is a set of strategic guidelines to exploit your strengths and your opponent’s weaknesses. A good plan should also … More Game Plan
According to Sigmund Freud, some people have difficulty dealing with the happiness of fulfillment. Some athletes who readily claim they desire success subconsciously sabotage their own efforts. This may manifest as a pattern of becoming ill or injured just when they are on the brink of making major breakthroughs. Because of the enormous stress associated … More Obstacles to Optimal Performance: Fear of Success
Rhythm & Flow Tennis 