Archive for April, 2010
BELIEVING IN YOURSELF
As competitors we are all told, “It is crucially important to believe in yourself.” Our coaches regale us with tales of how great players believe in themselves and how this belief carries them past obstacles and leads to victory in major championships. We are admonished that unless we believe in ourselves, we can work on [...]
CHAMPIONS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND TRY TO CONTROL THEIR DESTINIES
EXCERPTED FROM “THE WINNER’S MIND”
High achievers possess a characteristic termed by psychologists as an “internal locus of control.” If we throw out the big words and translate this into English, it means that champions feel they can personally control the outcome of events. This feeling empowers them. They believe that their own efforts will ultimately [...]
THOUGHTS ON CLIFF RICHEY’S NEW BOOK, “ACING DEPRESSION”
Richey is honest, open, and smart.
I thought Andre Agassi’s book was unusually honest and insightful, but it pales in comparison to Cliff Richey’s new book. Cliff describes his own mental processes as he developed into a tennis champion and later, as he was stricken with debilitation depression in an incredibly lucid, insightful, and vivid manner. [...]
ANDY RODDICK’S TRANSITION GAME HELPS HIM WIN
Andy Roddick worked his way to an excellent win over Rafael Nadal in the semi-final at the Sony Ericcson Open in Miami (and ultimately won the tournament) using a very effective mixture of big serves, effective ground-strokes, and volleys. Roddick has matured as a player. A few years ago he won solely by hitting big [...]
BE AWARE OF THE SERVES YOUR OPPONENT FAVORS
I very much enjoyed watching the first two sets of Clijsters-Henin semi-final at Miami. (I didn’t see the last one.) Two great athletes, great movement, great shot-making, great emotional control. I must admit pulling for Clijsters, no particular offense to Henin, but Clijsters is known to be an exceptionally nice person.
So I was frustrated by [...]
