Mental Moment-In Sport & Life Follow Your Pace

Watching the US Open has me thinking a lot about pace. There are matches were players play below their ability because they are responding to the pace of their opponent and there are matches where players are trying to play up. Neither is good. It’s important that players stick with their plan and play their game.

If you are playing down, you aren’t playing your game and you are allowing someone to dictate the level of play. A lot of great players lose playing from this place. Your mind may not understand what this pace is and many players get lazy and sloppy and can’t find their way back.

Playing up is just as bad. Again the brain gets confused because you asking something you don’t know much if anything about. Your muscles get tense which makes your swing tight. Your brain is looking for the power shot (which doesn’t exist). You are always on the defense.

This happens in sport & in life. Find the pace that works for you and stick with it. I am not saying that your pace doesn’t need to be improved but you don’t have to always be in a defensive position by following someone else’s pace. It’s a sure recipe for disaster and failure.

Happy day after the holiday!

Dr. Michelle

Photo credit: vivmag.com