Control What You Can and Let Go of the Rest

November 19, 2014 | By Xavier Luna
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You’re on the court, playing against a similarly skilled opponent. Suddenly, a gust of wind blows your return shot out of bounds. Now you’re behind in the match. The weather continues to be problematic all match long, making you more and more frustrated. Eventually, your frustration consumes your game and your opponent beats you.

Keep your mind in your game
It’s easy to become frustrated in any sport, let alone tennis. And frustration equals distraction—sometimes the hardest opponent to beat. Tennis players who want to win should focus solely on the things that they can control—and not worry about the things that they cannot. This is easier said than done, so it’s helpful to make a list of the “controllables” and the “un-controllables” to help avoid wasting time and negative emotion on things that aren’t worth it. Here’s a sample list:

Un-controllables
Weather: If conditions aren’t favorable, remember—they aren’t favorable for your opponent either.

Umpires: They are one of the most common “un-controllables” and one of the things that can lead to the most frustration and agony. Nobody is perfect, including umpires at times, so if you think someone made a bad call it’s best to move forward. Arguing or dwelling can derail your game and your psyche.

Opponent's play: You cannot control how your opponent plays, so there’s no sense obsessing about it.

Reaction: Whether it’s spectators or your opponent, you have no influence over how people react to certain things.

Controllables
So what can you control on the court? Yourself.

That’s right, while there are countless factors that you have no control over, you do have a say in is how you perform and act on the court. You control what shots selections you make, how you move your feet and the posture you take as you strike the ball. And you’re in charge of how you act during stoppages and the sportsmanship that you display during the game. The more you focus on the things that you can impact, the more your overall game will benefit.

So if you feel yourself starting to slip and dwell on the un-controllables, review this list. Redirect your energy and focus to the parts of your game you can control. Let go of the rest. Just keep calm and play on.


Xavier Luna
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