The rate of learning must exceed the rate of forgetting! One principle that you may have forgotten is to not let your negative situations distract you from your long-term goals. In other words, stay out of your own way! It is amazing how many times players cause their own problems by becoming emotional, getting in their own way, and letting a situation control them. Their emotions take over and block the correct mental attitude from finding a solution to the adversity.
 
I have always liked Roger Federer's solution after a tough loss. When asked in an interview after a devastating loss what he was going to do, Federer replied that he is going to "do the 24-hour rule." This is a fantastic mental technique! He will not panic. After 24 hours, when he is back to thinking normally, not emotionally, his decisions will be based on sound judgment. Often he begins thinking about his upcoming tournament and what he needs to do to prepare.
 
Staying out of your own way is a key factor in keeping your momentum going for your point play, game play, set play and match play. You simply cannot afford to lose momentum every time you are confronted with negatives, mistakes and failures. The game will go on, with or without you! It is time to stop letting external situations disrupt your internal tranquillity.
 
Below are three situations that negatives, mistakes and failures could wreak havoc on your mental attitude if you let them. They are followed by the solutions.
 
Problem:
 
You are having a bad day on the tennis court. When you finish playing, you are feeling down and despondent. You played so well before, and now look at you. Tennis is no longer fun. You may even be thinking about quitting! If you do not quit, then you think it is time for a tennis make-over. EVERYTHING must be wrong with your game.
 
Solution:
 
Stay out of your own way! Forget all of that negative stuff. Put your emotions and your ego aside and keep moving! All that you have experienced is a normal part of learning and being a competitor in the sports arena. Do not change anything, wait it out, relax and think positively like a true Tennis Warrior and your game will come back. This is the perfect situation in which to apply the Federer 24-hour rule.
 
Problem:
 
In a match, you play a good but long point, only to lose the point. You think, "Wow! What a tough point to lose. I guess I'd better change something, this player is just too good!"
 
Solution:
 
Stay out of your own way! You are over-thinking. You are more hung up on the fact that you lost the point than the fact that you made your opponent work for the win. You played it right... now do it again and again and again! Typically when players lose an extra long point they will lose the next point quickly! Why? Because they think their last mistake is more important than the next shot!!! DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN. Stay positive and keep concentrating! The correct application is, "The next shot is more important than the last mistake!"
 
Problem:
 
You took a week or two of vacation and when you come back your play is horrible. You feel out of place on the court. You complain, "After all the work I put in on my game and now in one week, it's all gone! I'll never take another vacation... it's just not fair."
 
Solution:
 
Stay out of your own way! Stop all of this confusing, negative, emotional thinking. You are just having a little timing and rhythm problem from the layoff. Relax, keep swinging and in a day or two all will be well. Again - not a big deal. Stop making it one!
 
All of these examples have simple solutions, but when you and your emotions get in the way of relaxed, focused play, these simple solutions become mind-boggling! It's up to YOU to apply simple solutions and keep your momentum going. Stay positive, stay focused, and stay out of your own way!