No Confidence Calvin

Dear Cal,

I did not realize i did but from day one I employed a method of teaching that carried over from my classroom days. I received high ratings from kids and parents in my classes and the main reason was I cared about the kids and their growth as human beings as much or more than I cared about teaching English skills. Back to racquetball-a former pro retired and called to thank me for all i did for her in racquetball. So I ask what was the main thing you learned? I am thinking it is going to be drive serve, forehand or backhand -but nope-She said, “You taught me how to win and how to think like a winner.”

I was taken back by that but I began thinking about it more and realized I do put a ton of mental tips in between the skills. Here is one example. A student flies in to workout with me yesterday and he hits a perfect drive serve. He mutters something like, “Yeah but that is only one out of ten!” I stop him and point out he is actually focusing on the 9 failures and not the one success. Focus on your successful shots, not your unsuccessful ones.

Think, “A great serve, let’s hit another!” not “only one of ten!” If you dwell upon the mistakes, more mistakes happen. If you dwell upon the success….well you get the picture.

One more thing about confidence. You can play bad and win and you can play out of your mind and lose. But if you focus not on the last shot, but the current rally, adjust and move on, you are focusing on the process. It is being mindful of the process that wins, not the outcome!

Now go get’em Tiger!!