Rob VanDeCreek

In 2012 Novak Djokovic had a breakthrough in his mental game. His insight (and what it can do for you): As he began playing on the biggest stage - he’d have doubts at the worst moments. Match point. Self Doubt. Pre-breakthrough, he saw these thoughts as a major problem...As bad...As something he needed to eliminate. “I used to freeze up whenever I made a mistake.” His breakthrough - accepting he could not eliminate his negative thoughts and self-doubt ...Even at the worst times on the court. Old Mindset: I need to improve so that negative thoughts NEVER arise on the court. If doubt occurs, something is wrong. New Mindset: Because I am human, I expect negative thoughts to happen when the pressure is highest. When they arise I just use my tools to manage them skillfully. Now he EXPECTS doubt to arise on the biggest stage. His insight: “Everyone goes through these thought processes of self-doubt. I don’t think it is particularly bad. I used to think it was bad. So I was trying to ignore it or shut it down.” “But the major transformation in a positive way for me started when I acknowledged and accepted those thoughts as part of me.” Novak’s radical shift was to stop trying to eliminate negative thoughts. But instead to develop strategies that acknowledge his humanity and would be effective when they would inevitably arrive. Takeaway 1: Even the best in the world face self-doubt, often at the most inconvenient times. The goal isn’t eliminating these voices - it is finding tools to deal with them skillfully. Takeaway 2: Conscious breathing can be an anchor to come into the present moment when negative thoughts arrive at inconvenient moments. Practicing breathwork in low-stakes moments allows one to use this tool to move beyond negative thinking when it matters most. Novak: “Now when I blow a serve or shank a backhand, I still get those flashes of self-doubt, but I know how to handle them.” Mental fitness is a state of readiness. Readiness is judged by how quickly can you recover... It’s not about staying perfect. It’s about practicing to be prepared. If this resonates, comment below and follow @mattschnuck for insights on inflections in life, entrepreneurship and 25 years in business.