Self-Doubt

Feb 24, 2009
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It's always the first time
by: Julian

Glad you brought this very important subject up. Not an easy one to come up with a solution for since I guess we are in very subjective waters.

I'm not an expert by any means! but In my experience this is -definitely- what I have observed about it... I believe this, so please don't mind me if I sound a bit preachy ;-) This has worked for me and I'm pretty confident it could work for you.

Your mind responds to what you believe and performs accordingly. So in order to suppress that which you don't want to believe you have to shut up about it!! That is "focus" in the now present moment.

Silence!! of a non-supportive mind is accomplished by -substituting- or yes! -distracting- it with an activity that engrosses it completely... and how do you do that? Paying total attention to every nuance of the activity at hand (quietly).

As if you were curious about it and doing it (observing it) for the first time. So don't fall into a "routine" mindset (about what your game, level, skills, or expectations are or should be) because the truth is that everything you're doing at that moment is new and for the first time (yes... it's always the first time you'll play that one match, isn't it?). Remember to enjoy the process, don't try to -force- the attention, rather relax into it.

Yes sure.. you might say that there's a bit of self-suggestion or "acting" in all this... You bet! Isn't that just getting with the program purposefully? Don't we always have to act in a certain way to get specific results? Isn't (btw) everything we do always the first time really? Aren't we trying to change what it could be an old, non-supportive mindset regarding our potential? How are we going to grow and progress if we always know and believe the same thing about us all the time?

Self-doubt comes from things we think we know about ourselves when we keep looking at it the same way. Especially when circumstances might trigger fears and old beliefs. Like when having what we perceive as a "higher level" opponent on the other side of the net...

Remember, it's always the potentially better you, in the present moment and for the first time. Consistently practice silencing all mind chatter until you are good at being selective about it. That'll help change how you feel during a match too. And no, your strokes are not going to abandon you because you're looking at them as "new". They might actually improve.

I'm just reminded of what Winston Churchill said: "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..."

Cheers fellow player ! Hope that helped.

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Feb 24, 2009
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Submitted by: Julian

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Glad you brought this very important subject up. Not an easy one to come up with a solution for since I guess we are in very subjective waters. I'm not an expert by any means! but In my experience this is -definitely- what I have observed about it... I believe this, so please don't mind me if I sound a bit preachy ;-) This has worked for me and I'm pretty confident it could work for you. Your mind responds to what you believe and performs accordingly. So in order to suppress that which you don't want to believe you have to shut up about it!! That is "focus" in the now present moment. Silence!! of a non-supportive mind is accomplished by -substituting- or yes! -distracting- it with an activity that engrosses it completely... and how do you do that? Paying total attention to every nuance of the activity at hand (quietly). As if you were curious about it and doing it (observing it) for the first time. So don't fall into a "routine" mindset (about what your game, level, skills, or expectations are or should be) because the truth is that everything you're doing at that moment is new and for the first time (yes... it's always the first time you'll play that one match, isn't it?). Remember to enjoy the process, don't try to -force- the attention, rather relax into it. Yes sure.. you might say that there's a bit of self-suggestion or "acting" in all this... You bet! Isn't that just getting with the program purposefully? Don't we always have to act in a certain way to get specific results? Isn't (btw) everything we do always the first time really? Aren't we trying to change what it could be an old, non-supportive mindset regarding our potential? How are we going to grow and progress if we always know and believe the same thing about us all the time? Self-doubt comes from things we think we know about ourselves when we keep looking at it the same way. Especially when circumstances might trigger fears and old beliefs. Like when having what we perceive as a "higher level" opponent on the other side of the net... Remember, it's always the potentially better you, in the present moment and for the first time. Consistently practice silencing all mind chatter until you are good at being selective about it. That'll help change how you feel during a match too. And no, your strokes are not going to abandon you because you're looking at them as "new". They might actually improve. I'm just reminded of what Winston Churchill said: "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself..." Cheers fellow player ! Hope that helped.

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