The ‘Five Set’ Mind

If you want to succeed you have to be ready for a five-set match.

I’ve been researching what’s best described as the ‘beyond confident’ mindset. I’m not talking arrogance or blindly optimistic here. Rather, I mean the mindset that’s best demonstrated by those who’ve survived the almost unsurvivable – weeks in the frozen wilderness of Alaska, months adrift at sea, or years marooned on remote islands.  It’s a mindset that is resilient, pragmatic and, while goal-oriented, is focused on what needs to be done in the present to make the next step happen.

A small yet powerful example of part of that mindset was admirable demonstrated yesterday on Centre Court at Wimbledon. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Roger Federer in a five-set match, and there’s the clue to the winning mindset – a men’s match at Wimbledon is FIVE sets. Although it can be won in three by a good player, if you step onto court only prepared for a three set match and you lose the first two, mentally it’s all over. Tsonga lost the first two sets, but instead of losing motivation and focus he turned the match around in the third set and went on to win.

If you want to succeed, you have to be prepared for the full journey and the effort and focus that’s going to need – no shortcuts, cheats or giving up.

You have to be ready for a five-set match.