How to Make Positive Thinking Work

It's true that high achievers think more positively than your average Joe. However, just thinking positive thoughts is not the answer. Actually, there is a dirty secret about positive thinking that most people won't tell you about.

The reason why positive thinking is so popular is because people want to believe it works. It's the same reason the lottery is so popular. Even though you have a billion to one odds, you just want to believe it's possible to win so bad that you play the lottery anyway.

If only success where as easy as thinking positively all the time. It's not. The only reason why positive thinking, on it's own, continues to be taught after all these years is because people allow themselves to be fooled by it.

With that said, there is a way to benefit from positive thinking and to use it in a specific way that can help improve your tennis game. If you want to learn how to do just that, click here.

The Truth About Positive Thinking & Success

When I board a plane, I generally think it will get to my destination in one piece, and that nobody is going to die. I'm optimistic about my chances of successfully landing. However, I anticipate that the flight will be delayed, that they will serve horrible food, that the seats will be uncomfortable and that I'll have to sit next to someone who will bug me.

I'm big picture positive, but I'm detail negative. And I'm right more times than not.

This is important because by anticipating the negative, I'm allowed to prepare for it. Let's look at how this relates to improving your tennis game.

Positive thinking done right: I have enough ability in me that if I set my mind to it, I can control the accuracy of my shots to the point I can put the ball just on the line.

Positive thinking done wrong: Even though I can hit the ball just on the line, I won't worry about the line judge making a poor call since I know the ball is in. Therefore, I won't prepare myself to adjust my shots accordingly to the line judge. Heck, since I'm a positive thinker, I won't even train myself for how to handle poor calls. That'd be a negative thing to do!

Most people mistake looking at things through a negative light. Negativity is actually a way to create positive power. It's by preparing to handle judges who make bad calls that allows you to react positively to the situation. It's by preparing to adjust parts of your game to play under less than ideal circumstances that creates more positive outcomes on the court.

Don't dismiss negativity. On it's own, it is poisonous. But when used to fuel positive change, it's a catalyst.

Let's strike at the very heart of the issue. It's very possible that you can do everything within your power and still lose. That's because there are certain factors in tennis that are out of your control. You can't control how your opponent plays that day. You can only control how you respond to your opponent. You can't control what kind of calls you will get. You can only control how you respond to those calls. You can't control weather conditions, accidental injuries or court side distractions. You can only control how you respond to those.

So here's how to make positive thinking work.

Anticipate that your opponent is going to have the best game of their life when they play you. Believe that if you come prepared, you can still beat them.

Anticipate that you will get a line judge who is trying to make it impossible for you to win. Believe that you can still play through this in a way that doesn't affect your game.

Anticipate that there will be every court side distraction possible in your next game. Believe that you have enough focus to not let that break your concentration.