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
Tips for Handling Fear Take a look at fear and ask yourself ” What is the worst that could happen if I followed through on this fear-producing situation?” If you can live with the worst-case scenario, you can go beyond your fear. Vigorous exercise coupled with relaxation or meditation helps to put fear into perspective. … More Mental: 2nd article on the Obstacles to Optimal Performance
“All things in the cosmos will be aroused to movement through fear. This movement will be cautious, and cautious movement will bring success” – 1 Ching no 51 Fear is a natural emotion. It’s a survival instinct and indicates that you need to be alert. Trying to fight or force away fear creates a counter … More Obstacles to Optimal Performance: Fear
“If an athlete can picture in advance each movement of an event exactly as it should be, in a relaxed meditative state, the greater will be the chances that he or she will carry out those movements during the actual performance” – Jerry Lynch Visualization is an active form of meditation in which you relax … More Achieving Optimal Performance: Visualization
Positive Thinking “The mind is like a fertile garden, it will grow anything you wish to plant, beautiful flowers or weeds. Do not allow negative thoughts to enter your mind, for they are the weeds that strangle confidence”. – Bruce Lee Negative thinking creates mental and physical resistances that greatly hinder your performance, on and … More Achieving Optimal Performance: Positive Thinking – 3rd in a Series
In Western sports athletes experience tremendous pressure, fear, and anxiety generated by an overwhelming desire to win. We learn this frame of mind from early childhood. Coaches, teachers and parents are obsessed with winning and some simply cannot tolerate failure. Athletic pressure spills over into other areas of performance including into the academic and corporate … More The Mind Game
Rhythm & Flow Tennis 