Writers read a lot of things about our craft, and often self-help (a term I've always disliked) articles and books are among them. Many writers tend to suffer from imposter syndrome, where you question your ability as a writer rather than just write and get better. Nobody is born a writer, just like nobody is born a pickleball player. We all have to work at it. 

The book I came across recently is about setting goals that are 10 times greater than you think you can achieve. Why? A goal that's 10X greater provides the impetus—the motivation—to invest the effort it will take to get you to that goal. Without this 10X goal setting, you won't have the energy and other resources to overcome the setbacks that are sure to occur (sick kids, the need to travel, etc.).

I've written other articles about the mind game and how it affects your performance in pickleball. Most players set their pickleball goal to reach the next level, say from 2.0 to 2.5 or 3.0. Once that level is reached, they focus on the next goal. Ultimately, most fail to get beyond 3.0 or 3.5. What might have happened if they'd focused on 5.0? 

Grant Cardone, author of The 10X Rule, is the world's #1 sales trainer, radio and television personality, social media influencer, and real estate mogul. He brings his success strategies to millions of people at huge events a la Tony Robbins. Although it's a business book, The 10X Rule can give you the confidence and drive to supercharge your pickleball training.

Cardone rejects the idea of incremental targets (like 3.5), saying, "If you start any task with a mind toward limiting the potential outcome, you will limit the actions necessary to accomplish that very goal." Ultimately, Cardone says you must set a goal that is 10X greater than what you think you want. Then you must do 10X more than you think it will take to accomplish that goal.

I bet you're thinking this is ridiculous, because you can't be rated 10X more highly than where you are now. But you're ignoring the mindset that will get you to any higher level. Following this strategy, even if you never make it to 5.0 or become a master pickleball tournament winner, you'll have achieved much more than if you only tried to reach 3.5.

With any goal, we are optimistic and tend to underestimate the amount of effort and time that will be necessary to complete it. Obstacles get in the way. We lose focus. All of this is a natural part of the process. The optimistic attitude leads people to miscalculate the amount of effort and time required, and our plans usually ignore possible challenges altogether. When we fail, we typically set the bar lower. What we should do is work even harder.

The process Cardone (and others) recommends is to write down your goal(s). To do this, you must first identify what you want. Is your desire to play in a local tournament? Then make that bigger: you want to win local pickleball tournaments while rising to a 5.0 Master rating.

Putting your goal in writing is important. Write it in present tense, as if you've already achieved it: "I am a 5.0 Master-rated pickleball player who consistently wins tournaments." Like an affirmation that will become ingrained as a belief, write it twice a day (morning and night). (I've read other places that you ought to say it out loud with conviction, too.)

All of this may sound silly, but a famed Harvard study about goal-setting asked MBA program participants, “Have you set clear, written goals for your future and made plans to accomplish them?” Most (84%) had no specific goals, 13% had goals but hadn't put them in writing, and only 3% had written goals. Ten years later, the 13% with unwritten goals earned twice as much as the 84% with no goals. The 3% with written goals earned 10X more than all the rest put together.

Will writing and speaking your goals get you there? Of course not—not that alone. Add these tools to your arsenal of routines. You'll have lots of hard work and practice to do. But with an idea of where you're headed, you're much more likely  to get there. And, since you're aiming higher, you'll go farther, too. ​

With the pickleball courts closed during this period of enforced social isolation, I've seen the pickleball players in my community do some innovative things: one couple cleared their porch of furniture and set up a makeshift net using PVC pipes and cardboard. Others did the same in cul-de-sacs and covertly against walls of buildings after hours.

We've discovered that, yes, there is life after pickleball, though it's not as much fun. People are taking up long-abandoned projects, cleaning out garages and kitchens, and working hard to be safe. 

But one aspect of your pickleball game doesn't have to stop when you can't get to the court. Many of you have read my previous posts regarding the mental game—this is one more. Just as much as learning how to swing the paddle or learn the rules, your mental preparedness and attitude before you get to the court and while you're playing can make or break your game.

So you have lots of time now, right? Put it to good use! If you haven't already, start your mental workout today.

Whether you're new to pickleball or you're a champion, there are always parts of your game that could be improved. List those things (up to 3) and prioritize them in the order you'd like them fixed. Now, list methods or strategies that will help you improve the number one item on your "to do" list. (Don't toss the number 2 and 3 items; simply concentrate on the first one until it is better. Then your second item will become your first, and so on.)

Perhaps your number one need for improvement is returning the ball low over the net. What things could you do to make that better? Find someone who can watch you return the ball and coach you to doing it better. If you have a ball machine where you play, some dedicated time returning shots would be good. Get a friend who also needs help or drilling and trade off time. Hit against a wall over a painted line and score points for every hit that stays within a 6" zone above it. (Reward yourself with something when you get enough points.) Read what other people have to say about that problem on the internet, and watch videos explaining how to do it better. (Videos are good because you can use mental imaging to see yourself doing it right, too.)

You get the idea. When the courts are open again, you'll have a plan to overcome your weakness. 

But don't ignore one other list that's equally important—maybe more so. List at least 5 things you do well in your pickleball games and practices. These can be minor or major (e.g., I dink well, I have patience, I hit a good backhand, I communicate clearly to my partner). Every day or night, look at this list and even state the items aloud. If you think of new things, add or replace them. The key here is accepting that, while your game could be improved, you also do things well on the court. Knowing those things and centering on positive thoughts can help your game in many ways.

Once you're back to playing on the courts, don't abandon your lists or the process of remaining positive. Your process of improvement is, in itself, a positive thing. Take just the one element and make it better, while reinforcing mentally all the good things you already do. 

Recently, I've had trouble sleeping. That happens when I have too many things on my mind. But I've learned a method that helps me get past all the stuff in my brain: I concentrate on my breathing and count while I inhale and exhale.*

I only have to do this about ten times. By then I'm asleep, or I’ve allowed my mind to wander into dreams. This method works because I stop thinking about trying to sleep and focus my attention on just one thing.

Why am I telling you about sleeping in a pickleball blog?

​I approached a coach one day when it seemed like I could do nothing right on the court. I kept missing my targets. My shots went into the net or too long. The more I tried to fix my game, the worse it got.

He said, "Pick something to concentrate on. Watch the ball and see your paddle hit it. The rest of your game will fall into place."

In our efforts to make the best shots, or to break bad habits, or to try new techniques, our minds become overfull with information that is often at odds. How can you relax and still be ready to spring into action on the balls of your feet? How can you shadow your partner and watch the ball and your opponent at the same time?  How can you anticipate your opponent's next shot and think ahead to your best reply?

At times like that, focus on just one thing. Watch the ball, or concentrate only on shot placement. Concentrate on your footwork. Watch your opponent to anticipate her shot. Let the rest go, and, surprisingly, you should find that your body "knows" how to play pickleball when you get your thinking out of the way. 

*Take a long, slow breath in through your nose and count (roughly by seconds) to five—or whatever fills your lungs. Hold that breath calmly while you count to seven. Then let it out slowly through pursed lips for a count of six. Vary the numbers for what works for you, but it's best if they're all different.

I wager most pickleball players made New Year’s resolutions regarding their pickleball practice. I know I did.

Curious about this, I canvassed a few of my pickleball friends shortly after the New Year. Sure enough, many participated in this annual tradition that dates back to the Babylonians. Each player faced January with a deep commitment and heartfelt enthusiasm for their resolutions.

One promised she’d work on her drop shot. Another wrote on her dry-erase board, in big, bold letters, “I will master ball placement.” The least experienced man, who's been on the courts for only two months, swore he would “keep the ball low over the net or die trying.”

I followed up by asking how successful they'd been in keeping those resolutions. Unfortunately, all had experienced the same thing: disappointment. No matter how hard they tried, ultimately they hadn't made good on what they had resolved to do.

I knew exactly what they were talking about. I gave up creating New Year’s resolutions years ago, when I found myself at the end of yet another January with nothing to show for my efforts than an exercise in futility. I was left juggling a range of emotions, from guilty to downright silly.

However, I was in good (or not so good) company. Only about 45 percent of the population resolves to make changes in the new year. Of these, a mere 8 percent succeed.

How can you improve your odds of keeping those resolutions? First, it's helpful to see what can derail you from your course.

1. You try to do too much at once.
2. You don't notice immediate improvement.
3. You resolved to do something you don't really want to do.
4. Other things get in the way of whatever you resolved to do.
5. You may have chosen to do something you don't know how to accomplish.
6. You don't believe you'll succeed.

Once you are able to identify what is preventing you from pushing ahead, you’ll be able to construct goals that will yield productive results. For my friend trying to master ball placement, this meant correcting her self-defeating thoughts and removing the expectation that this would happen quickly. The woman working on the drop shot has managed to keep up with her expectations—in part because she set a realistic, smaller goal and is working with three other women who also want to practice together. The man trying to keep the ball low is frustrated by a lack of immediate improvement, but he's still on course so far.

Here are things you can do to help with whatever goals you've set:

1. Ditch the word resolution. It’s a setup—one that has ridden on the backs of people for thousands of years. Instead, set a goal, objective, or even intention. 
2. Understand what motivates you. For some players, identifying a positive outcome and working toward it is the most effective form of motivation. Think about what is motivating you to meet your playing or practicing goal. Is it a good fit? Does it ring true? If not, identify a more appropriate motivation. When finished, post it where you can see it every day.
3. Break it down. It can be quite worthwhile and exciting to set a large goal. “I will become a 4.0 player this year!” However, make sure your goal is specific—which usually means breaking it down into smaller goals you can cross off along the way. Remember my friend’s resolution to “keep the ball low over the net or die trying”? It would have been better to separate this goal into three separate ones: (1) I will watch my paddle face when returning the ball; (2) I'll work on keeping my shots softer so I have more control; (3) I'll concentrate on adding a bit of backspin to keep the shot lower. 
4. Be realistic. Changing behaviors, attitudes, and habits is a process. Rarely does change occur because of one event or a date on the calendar.
5. If you feel frustrated, pick a single task—the smaller the better. It should be so simple you can’t possibly fail. For example, if you're a 3.5 player, moving to 4.0 shouldn't be that hard to accomplish, but if you’re not succeeding, the task is too big. Instead, aim to work on one of the things that separates these levels. When you are finished, move onto the next one. This approach fights frustrations with success and builds forward progress into your practice.
6. Pair up. Ask another player to join you in working toward your goals. You’ll both benefit from being accountable to one another, and the mutual support will motivate you to follow through.
7. When all else fails, take a break. It can be as simple as deciding to stop working on your goal and just playing for fun for a day, or as significant as putting your goal on hold for a month. Stepping away from the source of frustration can give you a fresh perspective and renewed momentum. But be sure to designate an end point to this refueling period to ensure that it is in fact a break—and not an excuse to stop practicing and remain where you are.
8. Realize that setbacks are part of the process. Accept this inevitability, and you won’t be surprised when you slam into something that brings you to a screeching halt. By eliminating the element of surprise, you minimize disappointment, which will help you recover and get moving again.
9. Be patient! Meeting your playing goals takes time and effort. When you throw out that list of resolutions and focus your attention on one or two well-crafted goals, you’re a step ahead of where you were last year. Twelve months is plenty of time to accomplish your goals if you approach them with understanding, clarity, and objectivity.

Here’s wishing you every success in 2016!

So much of pickleball, like many other sports, is mental.

When you find yourself in a threatening situation, your natural reaction is to tighten all your muscles and hold your breath, and that’s the last thing you want to do. You need to find ways to counteract those natural tendencies. You want to be relaxed and calm. You want to be breathing properly, so you can think clearly and handle whatever comes your way.

While pickleball is hardly life-threatening, our bodies and minds react to conflict with our opponents similarly, If your opponents discover you're the weaker player, you will be their main target. It's hard not to get flustered. Or after a particularly bad run of luck, it's hard not to think you've lost it and won't be able to get it back. But you have to keep your composure to help your team finish the game.

Great pickleball players (like all great athletes) seem to have an innate ability to be relaxed and comfortable in pressure situations. But these are skills that can be learned. Taking lessons from coaches of other sports can be valuable, as the mental game is similar in many of them. 

Many pickleball players are discovering the benefits of yoga and proper breathing techniques (see "Yoga for Pickleball" for more information). Meditation and visualization techniques can also play a huge part in helping the mind relax and overcome the fear that accompanies tension.

Even if you can't practice all of these techniques in depth while you're on the court, you can develop mini-versions of your usual routines that can be done between shots. When you find