Tennis great, Novak Djokovic, was interviewed on 60 Minutes ahead of the Australian Open and talked openly about his mindset training, and tools. In the episode, which aired on December 10, 2023, he shares the realities of his inner storm and how he trains to conquer the battle within.
“It’s not a gift, it’s something that comes with work,” said Djokovic when asked about his mental strength.
“There are different techniques. Conscious breathing is a big part, especially in the moments when you’re under tension.
“I might appear locked in but trust me there’s a storm inside and the biggest, always, battle is within.
“You have your doubts and fears. I feel it every single match. I don’t like this kind of a mindset that I see a lot of in sports like just think positive thoughts, be optimistic, there’s no room for failure, there’s no room for, you know, for doubts and stuff like this. It’s impossible. You are a human being. The difference, I guess, between the guys who are able to be biggest champions and the ones who are struggling to get to the highest level, is the ability to not stay in those emotions for too long. So, for me, it’s really relatively short so as soon as I experience it, I acknowledge it, I maybe burst, I scream on the court or whatever happens, but then I’m able to bounce back and reset.”
Click here to watch the full interview. (His remarks about mindset begin at about 3 minutes in.)
This interview isn’t the first time Djokovic has spoken about mindset training.
Earlier in 2023, he addressed this topic with Tennis365 during an interview hosted by ASICS at Wimbledon.
“I believe half of the mental work you need to put in is done before you even set foot on the court. If you fail to prepare, it is going to be a much more difficult mountain to climb and succeed on the court.”
“If you lose your focus, things can start to go wrong quickly, but you have to accept it. If you do that, you can recover quickly and come back. Conscious breathing is the most important way to move on from a day moment.”
“As a sportsman, you sometimes have to play a game with your brain at times and convince it that things are okay.
“We are all human beings, we all make mistakes. We will all make a million more mistakes until the last day of our lives and you cannot look back and think too much about a mistake that doesn’t have too much of an impact.
“Instead, you have to count your blessings. I’m so privileged, so honored to be a successful tennis player and play the sport I fell in love with when I was four years old.”
1. Self-Assessment: Understand Your Current Mindset
2. Practice Mindfulness and Awareness
3. Build Resilience
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