A few weeks back, I was watching an interview after a great tennis match between Azerenka and Serena Williams at the US Open. Azerenka had just upset the highly favored Serena and she was asked what was her thought process during the match particularly since she was behind after the first set. She responded that she just focused on keeping a “calm mind” while maintaining the “excited body”. The mind and the body certainly work together for success. By maintaining the calm mind, it controlled how excited the body would become. Obviously, falling behind could create a sense of urgency with so much on the line, but too much excitement would mess up timing and control of movement. If the mind was allowed to go haywire, then there would be no controlling of the body – leading to utter chaos! Instead, control was maintained with just enough excitement to keep things going without losing focus. Learning to control the mind is essential for success at all levels of competition!
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