I cringed as soon as she said it

{{First Name | Hey! }}

Her first serve went straight into the net.

Before the next serve, she announced, "Sorry if I miss a bunch today. I've got the yips."

The other players chuckled. I cringed.

Not because she missed the serve. That happens to everyone.

But because I knew exactly what would happen next.

"Debbie" went on to miss her next three serves. She shook her head after each one. Threw her arms up in frustration.

I tried to support her. But the struggle bus had left the station.

After the game, I asked about her announcement.

She said, "I didn’t want everyone thinking I was actually that bad."

Plot twist: she made everyone think she was worse.

This got me thinking about self-fulfilling prophecies. They happen constantly in pickleball.

It's when you behave exactly how you expect yourself to behave. Especially if you're convinced it's true.

Tell yourself, "I'm going to miss my serves today," and guess what happens? You miss your serves.

I’ve been there too. We all have.

Maybe you've caught yourself saying stuff like "My backhand is terrible today" or "I can't hit a dink to save my life."

Does anything get better after saying that? Heck no. It gets worse.

But here's the good news. You can fix this.

Here's a quick tip that'll change your game forever:

Never say "Don't."

If I say "Don't think about a pink horse." What immediately pops into your head? Exactly. A pink horse galloping around.

Same thing happens on the court. "Don't miss this serve" makes you more likely to miss.

Instead, use action-oriented mantras. Short, positive commands focused on the process.

Like "Accelerate through the ball," or "Send it deep," or "Commit fully."

These work because they're active and aggressive. No negative emotional baggage attached.

You play your best when you're relaxed, confident, and aggressive. Not when you're afraid of screwing up.

Debbie probably didn't have the yips. She just needed a better mental approach and a way to release negative thinking.

We cover this stuff in detail on Day 16 of the 21-Day Mindset Reset Challenge inside ThatPickleballSchool.

Over 21 days, you'll get tools to overcome any mental obstacle, whether it's negative self-talk like Debbie's or something else entirely.

The goal is simple: Learn to win the mental game.

👉 Join ThatPickleballSchool Before July 7th to join the Challenge

Because life is more fun when you’re good at pickleball. :)
-Kyle

P.S. And Debbie (or anyone who can relate to Debbie), maybe next time try announcing how amazing your serves will be. :-)

P.P.S. Have questions about the 21-Day Mindset Reset Challenge? Reply to this email.