Focus in the Immediacy

Focus on the outcome...

Over the past year, we have talked a lot about focus, and especially the need to focus on what is directly in front of you. One of the posts I rank at the top was The Most Important Shot, in which I discussed that the next shot determines how the rest of the rally will play out. Therefore, it should be the single point of focus at that point in time. More recently, I wrote a series about targeting in which I discussed that every shot should have a purpose.

Now, the RV Picklers have added their view in the article Pickleball Focus: Here and Now. Excerpts are shown below. Please visit the link for the entire article.

Learning Pickleball Focus

Other sports give us the opportunity to learn to focus on the here and now. Even if you are not a golfer, consider reading any of Pia Nilsson’s and Lynn Marriott’s books. Our personal favorites are Every Shot Must Have a Purpose and The Game Before the Game. If you are a golfer, you know that your biggest competitor on the golf course is your mind. There is plenty of time between shots to berate yourself for a poor swing or become consumed by the bad luck of rolling into a divot.

But as Denise reminded us “Attitude” is the “A” in her acronym for the PGA. Our ability to remain positive, and focused on the present is key to success in getting around a golf course or improving our pickleball game. Pia and Lynn write about a drill they created to separate the past and present. Specifically, when you set up behind the ball you may think.  (And at times that thinking will include your last shot.) But when you step forward and cross the line to set up to the ball…you turn off that past mind. Your only focus is the present.

You may have noticed that many professional tennis players have adopted this habit. Maria Sharapova is one of many players that turns her back to the court between every point. I suspect that she is getting the last point out of her system. Perhaps analyzing the point, and making a plan for the next. Regardless, when she turns back to the court you can see that her sole focus is the present....

There are times when we are each our biggest opponent on the pickleball court.  When this occurs, recall these words “The only real time is the here and now,” and work to improve your pickleball focus.