(by: Tsz Lun (Alan) Chu, Ph.D)
The ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals in Busan, Korea, have just concluded. Watching these international events always inspires me, not only because of the players’ physical and technical skills but also their mental prowess. Time after time, the best players demonstrate the ability to stay focused on the present moment – on the point or match right in front of them. I call this the “WIN” mentality, which stands for the ability to focus on “What’s Important Now.”
To play your best, whether at the highest levels or during a weekly match against your friends, you have to direct your focus to the task at hand. This means not getting distracted dwelling on mistakes from the past point or game, or anxiously thinking ahead about what might happen in the future. Easier said than done sometimes, even for the pros! This is of course easier said than done, even for professional players. For instance, when Alexis Lebrun was up 8:2 and then 10:4 against Lin Yun-Ju in the second game of his match at the World Championship Semifinals, he made quite a few unforced errors likely due to his mind drifting to the past or future, which led to his loss in that game and ultimately the match.
As it is so common for us to be up or down several points in a game, we must train our brains to be able to focus on the “WIN.” Some of the easier ways to implement this mentality include the following:
1. Focus on the process, not the outcome: If you get wrapped up in expectations about winning or losing, you’ve drifted from the present. Ditch win-or-lose expectations and instead, focus on the quality of your play in the moment. This means prioritizing good technique, footwork, and tactical decisions over worrying about the score.
2. Control the “controllables”: Don’t get distracted by things outside your control, like your opponent’s “weird” style or lucky shots, crowd noise, or missed shots. Instead, channel your energy into what you CAN control. Instead, identify and focus on what you can control, which includes your “APE” (attitude, preparation, and effort) as well as the upcoming point or match that you are about to play.
3. Develop a reset routine: Everyone experiences moments of past or future thinking during games. That’s okay! Use a routine to bring yourself back into the WIN mentality, whether tactical cues (“move feet first”), mantras (“one point at a time”), or a few deep breaths. More on specific tools and routines in my future posts! Explore and experiment to find your own for now.
The WIN mentality is a skill to hone over time. With deliberate practice focusing on the present, you can take your table tennis game to the next level.
