TM: Hope – your greatest weakness and your biggest strength

By Tomaz Mencinger
TennisMindGame.com

Have you ever tried, or seen someone try, to throw a tennis ball into the basket from a distance? You realized (and they too) that the chances of actually making the shot are quite small and yet they try again and again.

Why?

Hope.

It gives us strength to achieve something, even when things look dark. We hope, persist and try again, eventually we will even make it (or not).

And have you ever tried or seen anyone try an impossible shot on the tennis court?

Why?

Hope again.

But there is one big difference – all the time you didn't make that shot you were losing points. Eventually you may make one and that makes you happy for a moment: »YES, I MADE IT!«

But a few minutes later your opponent shakes your hand thinking: »Yes, I made it to the next round!«

Think about it…

What do you want more; and impossible point or winning the match?

Copyright 2006, Tomaz Mencinger -- all rights reserved worldwide

Tomaz Mencinger is the author of The Mental Manual for Tennis Winners and an athletic consultant who works with nationally ranked juniors at the Benc Sport tennis club in Ljubljana, Slovenia.