Try These 2 Things the Next Time Your Mind Wanders on the Court

Have you ever had someone compliment your play and then on the next point you mess up because you were thinking about what that person said?  I had that experience recently when after a Pickleball match, one of my opponents came up to me and said I don't think you missed a shot.  Upon reflection I said I actually missed one backhand and I may have missed others, but that was the one which stood out.  Now the problem with my opponent giving me a compliment was I started to think about that in my next game so I really wasn't as focused as I needed to be.  As a result I did not play as well so I missed more shots.  The question is what can you do in those situations where another player breaks your concentration and you start thinking about what they said?

Thought Stopping

If you find you are not focused on the game, try giving yourself a verbal reminder.  It can be as simple as saying to yourself the word “Stop”.  You don't need to berate yourself when you say this.  Rather let it just be a reminder to get your mind back on the game rather than focusing on the thoughts in your head.  This is a technique I used successfully as a young athlete when I had negative thoughts about my performance.  But it can just as easily be used to improve your focus when you are thinking about what someone else said.

Cues

Though stopping is a technique which uses a cue to help you focus.  However, other cues can be beneficial to keep your mind in the game.  It might be tapping your thigh with two fingers or snapping a rubber band around your wrist. It's not too important what the cue is as long as it is something you can do quickly between points, right before a point, or even during the point.  I often stare at the ball when I hit a serve or someone else on the court does.  This is a reminder to myself to keep my mind quiet and focus on the game rather than what my opponent or partner said after the last point or last match.