What to Do When We Lose…

The nature of tennis is that we all lose. We lose points. games. sets. matches. tournaments. Only one player goes home victorious at the end of the tournament. And that player may very well have lost more points during the course of the event than any other player in the draw. Many tennis players consider themselves to be perfectionists. But I've seen first hand how this can be devastating when things don't go well. The way I see it, the only way to fail is to stop trying to succeed. Here’s something that I’ve found that allows you to be a perfectionist and be at your best on the court: When you fail, whether its one shot or one match, be determined to do better the next chance you get.

I use the mantra ‘GIVE ME ANOTHER!’ both personally and with my students. When you make a mistake, demand another chance to figure out how to make the shot. When you lose, demand of yourself that you’ll work hard to succeed the next match. Demand of yourself that when you fail, you must keep trying to succeed. Keep trying to figure out the puzzle that is tennis. Give me another shot, give me another opportunity, give me another challenge, give me another chance to get it right! Be perfect in your attitude and you will continue to grow and succeed.