What are symbols of resilience?
May 05, 2022
Here are 7 symbols that help you overcome adversity
Two opponents in every match
Tennis is a game of success and failure. Having these 7 symbols of resilience will help you cope with the multiple diverse situations from different opponents, court surfaces, balls, weather and officiating to the biggest factor, the fight within your own mind. The game doesn’t give you the answers, and it doesn’t matter how much you love it or want to win; it sometimes doesn’t end well. Essentially, tennis brings you two opponents every match, your actual opponent and the one in your head.
To deal with failure
On many occasions, you will feel down. It’s how you deal with failure that makes you resilient. Being resilient is not just about how many times you fall down or how many times you get back up, it’s also about how you react to those failures. You can be the best tennis player in the world, but if your character is not strong enough to handle failure and adversity, then you will not last. Playing tennis does not differ from any other competitive sport, as it demands managing your mind, usually referred to as mental toughness. In fact, tennis is one of the most mentally demanding sports. The constant battle between self-control and distraction is an essential part of playing tennis.
What is resilience?
In order to be resilient, you need to have high levels of self-control. The ability to not let your emotions control your actions is vital in overcoming adversity
If you’re able to maintain a level head even when things go wrong, then you’ll be able to keep yourself on track and remain competitive. You can also develop resilience by being positive and optimistic. It doesn’t matter how many times you fail; it matters how you react to those failures.
A study conducted by the University of Houston found that people with a positive outlook were less likely to get depressed than those who didn’t have a positive outlook. Positive reinforcement will help provide encouragement and motivation for future success. The tone of voice you use within your head is crucial to better thinking.
The 7 symbols of Resilient Players
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Anticipating Failure
Accepting that losing points, games and matches are part of the game and will never end no matter how good you become is a big factor in relaxing about losses. Just go again and get better.
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Self-Awareness
Learn about yourself and the best way for you to process losses without demotivating yourself. Develop a mental and physical routine to bounce back quickly from losses and equally from wins. The work going forward is the same whether you win or lose.
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Humility
Have respect for opponents and their work. It is not always your performance that is the differentiator. Others have desire, talent and fight!
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Effort
Consistency pays off. Working in spurts is not as effective as solid repeatable effort.
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Patience
Do the work and good things will happen. We never know when.
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Selflessness
You will find if you co-operate in practice and help others to improve it will help you and keep perspective.
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Belief in your processes
If you have faith in the work and in those helping you, then you are in a good place. Remove yourself from any setup that you don’t believe in, because belief in your process is a huge key to confidence.
Other qualities to consider are embracing short-term pain. The ability to accept constructive criticism to learn from mistakes speeds up experience and staying positive when things are going wrong. If you can keep trust in yourself that your work and that the path you are on will eventually succeed, then doing the work in the near term remains worth it and motivation stays high if you are sure it will eventually pay off. It is easy to have a good attitude when things are going well. The actual test is how your positive attitude holds up during adversity, when you can’t see light at the end of the tunnel. Again, trust that there is light down the path if you keep going is paramount to motivation.
Conclusion
Symbols of resilience are vital qualities in any sport, but it can be especially important in tennis. The game is full of obstacles and challenges that test your resolve. Those who can stay strong in the face of adversity and bounce back from disappointments will find themselves more fulfilled, more successful, and more satisfied in life. The idea of resilience can be a difficult one to grasp—especially if you’re not a competitive athlete, but the qualities of a resilient player are identifiable and within reach for every tennis player.
By nurturing resilience, you’ll be building a better, more robust mindset—and a better life.
Written by
David Sammel