Is Your Mindset Serving You?

The US Open is currently happening, and if you have no clue what I'm talking about, that's okay. The US Open is one of four professional major tennis tournaments. You might have heard of Wimbledon. There’s also the French Open and the Australian Open.

Tennis is one of those games that looks easy when you’re sitting on your couch, but in reality, it is incredibly difficult. It’s grueling physically, as some matches can last hours, but even more so, it’s mentally exhausting.

There are a few sports that put you right front and center with the entire audience watching your every move. Tennis is one of those sports. And if you watch it closely, like we do in my house, you start to see the difference between the top-ranked players and the ones they are competing against.

The mental side of the game can absolutely debilitate some players, with a few of them melting down like a toddler as soon as they start struggling.

It always starts with the body language. The shoulders slump after they lose a point, they start fiddling with their racket, or they begin to get vocal. Then they lose another point or two, the meltdown continues, and it’s clear they just don’t have it on this particular day.

The meltdown gives it away. The body, the words, the actions. It all pieces together into a signal that the end is near. And if an opponent is really paying attention, they know this is their opportunity to go for the kill.

One of my favorites is women’s player Aryna Sabalenka. She was notorious for being a melter on the court, and in fact, she struggled to reach the number one position until she started to figure out the mental side. A few years back, she would unravel as soon as the game turned against her. Her body, her mind, her emotions, they were all out of sync.

Fast forward to today, Aryna is the number one women’s tennis player by a mile. She’s currently 3,292 points ahead of number two, and to put that in perspective, the number three is only 59 points behind number two.

She figured out the mental game to complement her already incredible physical game.

The same thing happens in our careers. Most people can do the job on paper. They can crank through emails, complete tasks, and get the work done. What separates the good from the great is how they respond when the game shifts against them. When the deal falls apart, when the presentation bombs, when the promotion goes to someone else, that is when you see the difference.

The average professional starts to slump their shoulders, just like on the court. They disengage in meetings, complain to their coworkers, and let their attitude bleed into every corner of the office. Before long, everyone can see it. Just like an opponent in tennis, the people around them recognize the cracks and the opportunities. The spiral continues because the mental side was never developed.

The ones who rise up treat their careers like a mental battle. They understand the emotions will show up, but they do not let them dictate performance. They know how to reset quickly. They can take a loss on Monday and still bring their best energy to Tuesday. That ability to control the mental game is what creates long careers and sustained growth, rather than fleeting flashes that fade away.

Sabalenka is proof that talent alone is not enough.

You can have all the physical skills, all the education, all the credentials, but if you melt down every time things do not go your way, you will never reach number one. It takes learning how to channel the pressure, control your body language, and keep your head in the fight no matter how bad it feels in the moment.

So ask yourself, how strong is your mental game at work?

Do you let one piece of bad feedback ruin your week? Do you let one tough client call define your energy for the next five? Or do you reset, breathe, and get back into the rally? Because just like tennis, your career is not decided by one bad shot. It is decided by how you manage the next point.

by Scott Bond

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