Shake It Off, Move On, Focus Up

It's natural to find ourselves mired in past missteps or losses during matches, but mastering the art of learning from our errors without allowing them to hinder our current performance is pivotal. I've witnessed teams falter due to dwelling on a few bad points, missed game points and even a bad line call in early in a match. I have also seen teams bounce back from early defeats to secure medals by embracing a mental shift and forgetting about the past. 

Reflecting on a recent tournament experience, I found myself struggling to maintain focus during the round-robin phase, performing at a B or C level. However, prior to the playoff rounds, I made a conscious decision to focus my mind and forget about the past. I even shared this determination with my partner before our first playoff match, by simply stating "I'm focused now". By letting go of past shortcomings and directing my attention to the present, I elevated my game. The result? We clinched the finals in some very close games. Had I remained fixated on past setbacks, I doubt we would have achieved the same outcome.