What's The Challenge With Perfectionism?

11/25/18 • 5 min

When you lose your cool on the tennis court, do you give up, thank or start pushing the ball?

In this week's tennis psychology podcast, mental game of tennis expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn answers a question from Sarah who needs help managing her expectations.

Here's what Sarah had to say about her game:

"I'm 14 years old an have been playing tennis for about 8 years. Once of my coaches calls me a bull because I'm always so stubborn and get so upset when I do something wrong but the only reason I get upset is because I know I can do better but when I get upset its like i just stop trying. I give up. So I've been trying to find ways to keep my cool and stay mentally tough. I hate losing and then I get all the thoughts of what people are going to think f me, especially my parents. Ive been trying to deal with this but I cant and as soon as is tart to think of it, i start to push the ball in the court or hit extremely had for no reason. I can be extremely hard on myself and I could really use your help."

COHN: Part of the reason that your hard on yourself and that you get easily frustrated and hate losing is because it it sounds like there is some perfectionism that you have with your game

COHN: Now, what goes with the perfectionism?

COHN: One of the things that goes with the perfectionism is very high expectations for your performance, even in a practice situation when your coach sees that, where you're not being able to learn fast enough or you miss hitting shots and you probably get upset.

COHN: I don't think its so much about being stubborn or being a bull as it is that you demand so much of yourself that you price in perfection in terms of your performance.

COHN: Whats the challenge with perfectionism? What can you do?

Other Resources for Tennis Players and Coaches

Download a free tennis psychology report to improve your tennis mindset between points.
Improve your mental toughness with Tennis Confidence Audio Program.
Get expert mental coaching for tennis.
Read articles at sports psychology for tennis.

*Subscribe to The Tennis Psychology Podcast at iTunes!

When you lose your cool on the tennis court, do you give up, thank or start pushing the ball?

In this week's tennis psychology podcast, mental game of tennis expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn answers a question from Sarah who needs help managing her expectations.

Here's what Sarah had to say about her game:

COHN: Part of the reason that your hard on yourself and that you get easily frustrated and hate losing is because it it sounds like there is some perfectionism that you have with your game

COHN: Now, what goes with the perfectionism?

COHN: I don't think its so much about being stubborn or being a bull as it is that you demand so much of yourself that you price in perfection in terms of your performance.

COHN: Whats the challenge with perfectionism? What can you do?

Other Resources for Tennis Players and Coaches

Download a free tennis psychology report to improve your tennis mindset between points.
Improve your mental toughness with Tennis Confidence Audio Program.
Get expert mental coaching for tennis.
Read articles at sports psychology for tennis.

*Subscribe to The Tennis Psychology Podcast at iTunes!

Previous Episode

How to Take Your Tennis Game to The Next Level

Do you have trouble taking your game to the next level and maybe beating that person that is 1 level ahead of you or higher ranked than you?

In this week's tennis psychology podcast, mental game of tennis expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn answers a question from Riley about how do you take your game to the next level without falling into the mindset of happy loser.

Here's what Riley had to say:

"Maybe you could give some tips or advice on how young players can go to the next level... Maybe beat that person who is on that next level above them without being the happy loser without falling prey to the tennis demons? the answer might be just keep going until it happens but the problem with that approach is that it does not address the happy loser mentality and if this is a real thing, then you may never win because of it."

COHN: Riley, good question...

COHN: I've worked with a lot of juniors that tend to get psyched out when they are playing an opponent that is seeded higher than them or is ranked higher than them for example and get into that mentality that they chalk this one up to another loss before they even get on the court and that's not going to help.

Other Resources for Tennis Players and Coaches

Download a free tennis psychology report to improve your tennis mindset between points.
Improve your mental toughness with Tennis Confidence Audio Program.
Get expert mental coaching for tennis.
Read articles at sports psychology for tennis.

*Subscribe to The Tennis Psychology Podcast at iTunes!

Next Episode

How to Let Go of Comfort Zones in Tennis

Do you ever find yourself cruising along in a match and the second set or third set you're in command and controlling your opponent and then all of the sudden, BOOM! Something happens and you lose the match?

In this week's tennis psychology podcast, mental game of tennis expert, Dr. Patrick Cohn answers a question from Sebastian who said he was recently playing a 3rd set, was in command and eventually lost the match.

Here's what Sebastian had to say about his game:

"Yesterday I was up 4-0 in the 3rd set and was controlling my opponent and then something just happened... I lost my focus and lost the match and the 3rd set for 6."

COHN: You are not alone, Sebastian. I see a lot of junior players that tend to tighten up when they get in the lead. They maybe split sets and now they are playing a 3rd set, they might be well in command, up maybe 5-2, 4-1 or 4-0 like you and then all of the sudden BOOM! something happens.

COHN: Well, what happened? Certainly, you lost your focus but most of the time this issue is around comfort zones.

COHN: Comfort zones prevent you from stepping outside and continuing to play your game when you're in the lead and when you are in command of the match.

COHN: Typically what will happen is you go into protect mode. You start to play safe, you worry about missing and you wait for your opponent to miss.

COHN: Essentially, you stopped playing the game that got you to 4-0 in the 3rd set...

COHN: What is the problem?

Other Resources for Tennis Players and Coaches