Emotions
Let’s use the example of laundry.
I take my clothes off and throw them in the hamper. When it gets to the top, I have processing to do: wash, dry, fold. As long as I do this, the problem is never more than one basket.
If I get lazy and let laundry pile up, eventually I have a room full of clothes and a long day of catch-up - or I live in chaos. My choice.
Emotions work the same way
Emotions build and pile up just like clothes in a laundry basket. Without a processing mechanism, you end up with a huge emotional pile that does not help you compete. The tricky part: each of us has different emotions and different processing techniques.
Call your ideal performance state the finished laundry basket. First know what that state is. Then know how to process emotions and get back there - between points, between games, and after tough days.
My ideal performance state
- Loose
- Full of energy
- Alert
- Aggressive
Yours may differ. Some players need calm more than aggression; some need quiet confidence more than visible fire. Write yours down. If you cannot describe it, you cannot reliably return to it.
Processing techniques that work for me
-
Give myself a goal. “Let’s get this ball deep.” “Work super hard for this point.” A command gives direction for the next ball.
-
Release tension. Breathing is the key - moving, shaking out the limbs, unclenching the jaw and grip.
-
Work at problem solving. It helps me feel progress. I run through correct answers already found that day: “Look for that backhand.” “He goes cross-court when I come in.” “Early split step, hands in front.”
That last step realigns me with the long-term goal of learning and improving - which alleviates some of the pressure of the now.
Between-point laundry: goal -> breath/release -> one tactical reminder. Three steps, under ten seconds. Practice it when you are not angry so it is available when you are.
When the basket overflows
If you only process emotions after meltdowns, you are always doing emergency laundry. Better:
- Short process between points
- Honest process after matches (Processing a Loss)
- Recovery-speed training in practice (Emotionally Tough)
Key takeaway: Emotions will keep arriving. Champions are not emotion-free - they are people with a reliable way to fold the basket and get back to their ideal state.
