Are You Giving Yourself Multiple Paper Cuts?

And do you think it actually helps your game?

In today’s Bite Size Pickleball newsletter:

1. The Paper Cut Syndrome

2. Update on Rick’s other stuff

   

   THE PAPER CUT SYNDROME

Is that how people really look when they make an unforced error? Um, yes! They kind of do! Maybe not quite as exaggerated, but pickleball players do tend to look silly when things don’t go their way. It’s like the sky is falling on them. It’s an “OMG, my life is over, I just missed a shot in pickleball” moment. Do you think that is helpful to your game?

Cutting to the chase: It is NOT helpful to your game, to ride your own ass that hard. It will do nothing but hold the negative energy within you instead of releasing it. How would you be better off ? Maybe just smile to yourself, and get back to the next point. Adding an affirmation is always good too, along with a nice, calming breath. The next point is coming fast and if you’re still holding that funky self-defeatist stuff inside, you’re doing a disservice to your play in that next point.

FLOW HAPPENS when you can get out of your own way, out of your brain, and let your body do its thing. FLOW DOES NOT happen when you’re consistently being self-critical with yourself.

Where does that voice come from? Was there someone in your earlier life that planted those seeds? Did you plant those seeds? However you got that inner critical voice, you would be wise to take some time and dig that sh*t up by the roots.

My analogy is that every time you harsh on yourself, you’re giving yourself a little paper cut. One paper cut might not make a difference, but believe me, they start to add up and they DO make a difference. Let yourself off the hot seat. It’s OK if you miss a shot in pickleball. There is a good chance your life will go on! In fact, a very good chance your life will go on. Take yourself, and the game, less seriously. And, by seriously, I am not saying not to care, and not to put your best effort forward. It’s just that in the big picture of life, you can’t let a pickleball point get you so worked up.

And if you want less of those moments, get the heck out on the practice court and work on your game. The more work you put in, the less you’ll have to think, the more you’ll just be able to let your body fly around the court excelling in a moment-to-moment capacity. That’s when a beautiful thing happens: The game slows down for you in your mind, and you recognize how detrimental your negativity is. Yes, push yourself to be the best you can be but then just let it go. Let the outcomes take care of themselves. Place less focus on the finish line and more on each hit, each point, every beautiful nuance that goes into this game we love. There it is, to sum up: Love yourself more in your game, and the game will love you back.

WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING?

Obviously a lot less pickleball writing. In fact, soon I will probably turn this newsletter into the project above, and my week-to-week experience of producing it. It’s very close to beginning. I have been texting and on the phone with my partner on it, GM of the Sixers Elton Brand. His season is about to end because the Sixers suck this year, and we should be ramping up production shortly thereafter.

I have been doing a ton of work on it behind the scenes, from mapping out the 6 episodes of the docuseries to creating a spin-off podcast as well. The general premise of the show takes four former NBA players and their sons, who play ball in high school, and follows them as they prepare for a two-on-two tournament against one another. We’re going heavy on the whole, universal dynamic/exploration of father-son bonding. In fact, last week Brand told me something about his own father. He never knew who he was until a year ago. It’s a pretty tragic story and it will be revealed during the show, along with, my guess is, a lot of interesting material!

In the meantime, I have been writing another TV show I plan to produce on my own after my foot is in the door with the project above. Buzzkill is a cross between Winning Time and Only Murders in the Building and it’s based, slightly, on my own life experience. Coincidentally enough, when I was fired by the L.A. Times years ago, and then I was going to run Elton Brand’s production company, but that fell through as well. Yup, the same dude I am partnering with now. Here we are some 20 years later gearing up to try it again! I’m looking forward to someone calling me an overnight success LOL! And I wouldn’t be surprised it all falls through again. Such is life, we gotta roll with what comes our way, with as few paper cuts as possible.

Some of you have asked if my book How to Play Better Pickleball was ever going to have an audio version. I am happy to report an audio version is now available at Amazon.