Objective

Develop a strong sense of conviction and purpose and an unwavering commitment to excellence on and off the court. Learn how to control and manage your emotions. Develop an on-court presence and command of your faculties. Learn how to be mentally tough in match play competition.

1. Develop control and regulation of your emotions.
2. Develop self-awareness, an understanding of your strengths, weaknesses and natural responses under pressure.
3. Learn how to manage and control your thoughts. Learn how to remain positive and stay in the present.
4. Develop intrinsic motivation with a desire to succeed and achieve. Develop autonomy and self-reliance. Do not rely or depend on feedback from others for motivation.
5. Learn how to set specific, realistic, attainable and process (versus outcome) based goals.
6. Work on your self-belief, confidence and self-esteem. Learn how to use self-talk and body language to bolster your confidence. Learn how to portray a strong and confident image to your opponent (even if you must fake it).
7. Develop a high work ethic. Always look for continuous improvement in the pursuit of excellence. Establish a drive to succeed. Develop resiliency and an ability to stay on task.
8. Work on your concentration and focus. Establish set routines and rituals to stay engaged and focused. Control the tempo of play by managing time between points and your ritual prior to serving. Learn how to cope and maintain focus and intensity under the pressure of competition.
9. Establish accountability for your actions and performance. Establish and maintain a commitment to the highest standards for excellence. Acknowledge your mistakes. Accept the bad with the good. Recognize what you do well and what you need to do to get better. Appreciate the process of development and growth and the requirement not to take short cuts. Respect your opponents and the things your opponents do well (particularly the things your opponents do to disrupt your rhythm).
10. Develop court awareness and presence. Learn how to stay engaged and present for each point. Follow and adapt to flow and momentum changes, recognizing pivotal moments in a match. Develop an awareness of your position on the court in relation to the ball and the position of your opponent and the options available to you based on this position. Develop an awareness of the score, playing conditions, condition of your opponent, strategic necessities and the key points in a match where you need to be bold and decisive or solid and steady.