Mental Moment-The Underdog Mentality
A lot of people search my site for ‘the underdog mentality’. I have had clients ask me about it. It is that feeling they get when they feel they are not good enough or not ranked as high as another player. It is also that feeling they get when they are down a set, a few points, runs or lagging behind the opponent. What is that feeling?
The underdog mentality can come from feelings of inferiority. Typically for most performers it comes in the form of lack of confidence, stress, worries, doubts, fears, and the expectations of others. Not all performers call it the underdog mentality most are able to pinpoint it to a specific challenge. As the pressure and demands of performance increase the brain starts playing games with you: I am ranked #25. There is no way I am going to be my opponent who is ranked #5. That’s all it takes and the ruminations and dissonance continue to spiral from there. That is unless you have a plan for dealing with what may be your lack of confidence leading to the initial thoughts that lead to many of other disruptive thoughts.
Here’s the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary definitions of underdog
- a person, team, etc., that is expected to lose a competition.
- a less powerful person or thing that struggles against a more powerful person or thing.
There is always an ‘underdog’. The only person who doesn’t fit into this definition is whomever is #1. Not everyone can be #1 but that doesn’t mean that you can’t or won’t do well or win. This is where the notion of ‘winning’ becomes problematic. We focus on wanting to win versus focusing on the present and if we lose we need the ability to focus on what we did well. We are frequently up against people who are smarter, faster and better equipped in business, life and performance. Even in situations where people are ‘far better’ shouldn’t that push us to want to improve? I suppose it depends on the situation. Regardless, you make yourself the underdog and you have control over it.
This is what underdog really looks like and this is who you should take your underdog mentality lessons from:
You can be the underdog and not have the underdog mentality (Charlie Brown)!
Happy start of your week!
Dr. Michelle
Photo credit: theeyzmaster.deviantart.com
