Hakan Dahlbo: In the first segment of the talk we sought to understand how negative thinking patterns may negatively impact the play of a player. Brace up or let me turn to affirmations now. To the uninitiated, what are these affirmations and more importantly how do they fits into the tennis narrative?
Bane Bradonic: An affirmation of a statement is a positive statement that one says to himself with intent towards changing his thinking and acting patterns. In tennis, they can be used to seek thought replacement for negativity and to support positive self images in you. The goal is to put into your mind constantly thoughts that are positive and empowering in order to change the subconscious mind. This is important to do because, as we mentioned in the previous section, a lot of what happens on the court is decided by the subconscious mind.
Hakan Dahlbo: That makes sense. Thus, I have listed four major maxims of positive reinforcement for tennis players. Can you please explain those rules to us and why are they useful?
Bane Bradonic: Absolutely. One rule is that the affrimations used should be positive not negative. In fact, our subconscious mind does not understand the meaning of the word not. Therefore, if you try not to say, “I don’t want to make a double fault,” your brain will focus on the idea of ‘double fault’. However, your affirmation should be more geared towards “I know I do my serve to perfection.” This way your mind is preset to action outcomes you want to accomplish.
Hakan Dahlbo: It is a way to start taking your thoughts towards success instead of failure.
Bane Bradonic: Exactly. The second of these rules is changing the negative images into positive ones. For instance, instead of using such self-emphatic summary as “Today, I failed to commit silly mistakes,” learners would state as “Today, I played with accuracy and concentration.” This takes the focus from what you are trying to escape to what you are seeking which instills positive mindset of accomplishment.
Hakan Dahlbo: Well, that’s kind of a reversal of your previous thinking. What might you be or might not be unaware of regarding the third rule, to write in the present tense?
Bane Bradonic: The present tense may be considered important since using it prepares your brain for the new reality that the affirmation offers as a future prediction. Another round of thought shows saying “I am mentally strong” rather than “I will be mentally strong” still serve the purpose of the present usage of the thought system in regard to a match.
Hakan Dahlbo: That adds a sort of real time and timeliness to the affirmation. When you said about the fourth rule of performing high-quality analytics, what is the use of clear and decisive statements?
Bane Bradonic: Statements such as this create certainty; such as “I have confidence in my shot” or “I for sure will go out to give it a shot” do away with doubt. In your mind, saying words such as ‘I will attempt,’ or ‘I need to,’ introduce doubt and make success blurry as if it is far from reach. Concrete words make a direct statement to your subconscious which in turn you experience milestones in smooth ways.
Hakan Dahlbo: Just how much of an impact can such a small modification to the wording have? Alright, let’s discuss the effects of these affirmations can bring. How can they change a player’s performance?
Bane Bradonic: I have definitely noticed that affirmations can turn a player’s perspective around completely on the mental and the physical level. This is the reason you hear some phrases often because when you are consistent with these affirmations, you start adopting them. This empowers you, enhances your attention and enables you to perform well in conditions that may frustrate other people. For instance if your self-talk is “I stay calm and focused no matter what happens” this becomes part of your reality. In pressure situations you will notice that you are able to stay calm and rational – this is a definite requirement for success at a challenged position.
Hakan Dahlbo: In what way can players use affirmations? How can the best way to involve them in their training and match preparation be achieved?
Bane Bradonic: A practical thing that could be done is to say affirmations after every training session or a game. What negative thoughts did you have today? If any, replace negative thoughts with positive affirmations. It is important also to write these down and rewrite them frequently—preferably before drill or contest. This helps to build up your self-confidence as well as chip away that old and constricting belief system.
Hakan Dahlbo: You have also talked of complimenting affirmations with deep relaxation methods to amplify the relativity. Could you please explain me how this works?
Bane Bradonic: Relaxation on a deeper level is a time when your mental stage is more susceptible to receiving good messages. When a kid is about to go for a competitive match, one can just take a chair, sit and close his or her eyes, and take as many breaths as needed to calm down. The art of self-suggestion starts in this state, meaning, repeat out loud, “I am strong, I am focused, I am ready.” It is also good to have some music playing to help in this process as you listen to calming music.
Hakan Dahlbo: oh yes that is a great way to get your mind prepared. Finally, here are some tips on best practising mental game affirmations to level four players who desire to assume the controls of their mind and psychology fully.
Bane Bradonic: Of course I would advise as is done with training, expect to engage in the process of mental training. Begin with basic affirmative statements that you feel comfortable with and should repeat them often. Always bear in your mind that you are in charge of your own destiny. Your mind gets other thoughts if you direct it to the part of the game you want to achieve. It is critical to program these positive affirmations and say them until they transform into a program within your head. Over a period of time and coupled with the desired consistency you will realize how these positive statements can change not only your tennis game but how you approach life.
Hakan Dahlbo: Wonderful advice, Bane. That was interesting; you’ve shared how affirmations can help bring a player on a higher level. I know that our readers are going to find this very useful on the way to reaching for new heights and becoming the player they always wanted to.
Bane Bradonic: Thank you, Hakan. It was good to discus this issue with you. I wish it would help the players to use their mind and rise to even greater achievements on the field.
Hakan Dahlbo: I’m sure it will. Thank you Bane once again, and good luck to all our readers as they incorporate all these principles into their tennis course.
Tennis World USA