In my career as a training specialist , I made sure I was fully prepared for my training sessions . I lived in fear I would forget something or look foolish . Even after being retired more than 16 years , I still have dreams that I walk into a training classroom and am not prepared . Fear of failure still haunts me , but there is hope — even for me . I know what to do , and I ’ ll tell others what to do … now I have to do it ! One of the most rewarding experiences as a corporate trainer was teaching Steven A . Covey ’ s “ 7 Habits of Highly Effective People .” My wife will tell you I was at my best behavior while teaching that class . I was actually walking the talk , so I know I can do it again . Writing this article is , hopefully , my first step in getting back to being that person . I could easily modify the title of the course to “ 7 Habits of Highly
Effective Pickleball Players .” Each of the seven habits has something to offer , not only to improve your behavior , but also your game . However , for the purpose of this article I ’ ll focus on Habit 1 : Be Proactive .
You might think that being proactive means don ’ t procrastinate , or plan ahead , but in this case being proactive means to avoid being reactive . You ’ ve heard about the Stimulus / Response studies done with Pavlov ’ s dog . Well , unfortunately , some of us react just like Pavlov ’ s dog when we make an unforced error on the pickleball court . Stimulus : Make an Error . Response : Anger in various forms . But we ’ re not conditioned animals . Humans have something Covey calls “ The 4 Human Endowments .” By tapping into these 4 Human Endowments we create a small gap between the stimulus and our response to the stimulus . These endowments are : 1 . Self-Awareness 2 . Imagination 3 . Conscience 4 . Independent Will
In other words , as humans , we have the ability to assess the situation and make a choice on how we ’ re going to react . It doesn ’ t have to be an immediate stimulus / response . In simpler terms , it ’ s the old adage of “ count to 10 before you act .” So how do these 4 Human Endowments look on the pickleball court ?
Self-Awareness
You and your partner are in a tough match . You ’ ve just made another unforced error and are ready to really let loose — or react . Self-awareness means you can still look at the big picture : Is this life or death ? Are you getting some exercise and competition ? Are people watching you ? There are probably four or five more questions to help you put it all in perspective .
Imagination
Now , imagine what it will be like if you blow up and lose your temper . If you cuss , throw your paddle or scream at yourself , what ’ s the probable result ? Technical Warning or Technical Foul ? Look like a fool in front of people watching ? Upset your partner ? On the flip side , imagine taking the shot in stride , knowing you can ’ t replay it . You can only reset and focus on the next point . Imagine even making a little joke to calm yourself down — anything other than the negative reaction you normally display .
Conscience We all have a conscience and we all know what ’ s right or wrong when it comes to emotional displays on the pickleball court . A brief second to tap into our conscience will help us make the right choice , which is independent will .
Independent Will Here is where we make the final decision on how we will react to the stimulus of our unforced error . We have the freedom to choose our response to anything that happens to us . So , a little unforced error on the pickleball court should be something very easy to deal with , even for a hothead like me .
This article is as much a therapy session for me —“ Hi , I ’ m Jim and I ’ m a hothead ”— as it is meant for you . So , if I see you get upset on the court and try to help you calm down , let it go , relax and refocus . I hope I don ’ t end up saying , “ Do as I say , not as I do !” Hopefully I ’ ll be walking the talk . •
OCTOBER / NOVEMBER 2020 | MAGAZINE 69