Is losing 3-11 not fun for you? It might be - depending on how you look at it PLUS Too old or unskilled to play pickleball?

You just got done playing 6 games, never scoring more than 3 points in a game.

I try to share come encouragement by saying to you “It’s not the end of the world.” You agree but then add “But it’s less fun.”

Is it less fun? Let’s talk about it.

Oftentimes when we are thinking through arguably negative situations, like not scoring more than 3 points in a game for 6 games in a row, the negativity stems not from the situation itself. Rather, the negativity stems from our framing of the situation. The situation itself is neutral. It is we who imbue it with the negative.

Generally speaking, losing 3-11 is not as much fun as losing 5-11, is not as much fun as losing 9-11, is not as much fun as losing 13-15. And we haven’t yet even gotten to the winning side.

If we stopped here, then perhaps “But it’s less fun” would be correct.

There is, however, more road to explore. What about losing 1-11? Or the pickle 0-11?

Even worse, what about comparing 3-11 to not playing at all? Or being injured? Or [fill in the countless things that are nowhere near as fun as playing a pickleball game]?

With this framing, then the correct statement after a day of 3-11 games is “It was certainly more fun than the alternatives.”

This is the power of framing. You get to decide the relevant context that you place your day’s events in. Use your framing power to maintain a better perspective and enjoy a stronger relationship with pickleball (and everything else too).

If you enjoy this approach to the mental game, check out the Pickleball Therapy Podcast on all platforms (YouTube too).

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Stay well

Tony