Positive Thinking

Positive thinking has received some criticism in recent times, as many powerful concepts do.
Perhaps when you think of positive thinking, you envision people mindlessly shouting, 'yeah! go for it!', and you may have tried that without seeing any results.

Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot, often dismissed as blind optimism. However,
I'd like to share how you can effectively use positive thinking in your table tennis game.

Every aspect of your game enters your mind, and it's up to you how you interpret it. You can view it negatively and spiral into a train of negative thoughts, or you can see it positively and steer your thoughts in a different direction (which is obviously the better choice!).

Before you dismiss this as wishy-washy, let me explain my perspective on positive thinking.

 For me, positive thinking isn't just about convincing myself that everything will turn out well - like saying, "yes, I'm going to win this match." Because when you don't win, it can lead to even more negativity because you've been deceiving yourself.

Instead, positive thinking is a more passive activity. It involves interpreting everything that comes your way through a positive filter, turning it into something that serves you rather than bringing you down. In other words:

"Your thoughts, whatever they are, should serve you."
For example, if you're down 0-9 in a match and the thought of losing terrifies you, that thought isn't serving you.

 But if you use it to challenge yourself to see how many points you can reclaim, you're reframing the negative situation into a positive opportunity, which ultimately benefits you.

It may sound simplistic, but who cares if it works? And it does work - like any skill, it takes practice and repetition. But if you can cultivate a habit of positive thinking, your table tennis game will feel much smoother.

Until next time,
Play Right,
Javad