Turning scattered, harmful thoughts into surprisingly powerful focus
Quotaless reads less than a minute to help master your mind, business, and time.
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Trace and I played pickleball the other day.
I swing a return, a kind of half swing, trying to spin the ball without hitting it too hard. I really don’t wanna hit it too hard.
The ball smacks the net then drops to the ground.
Moments later, I try a backhand, again, coming up and across the ball so I can put just enough on it to carry the net and downspin into the front corner of Tracy’s side.
It smacks then drops.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
“Too careful. I’m not committing.” I say.
It’s like a million thoughts are running through my mind as I swing:
“Get your legs under you, hinge, be athletic.”
“Shift your weight, stay patient, keep on the ball.”
“Angle the racket for spin… that’s too much, back off… well you gotta swing now…. Go!”
The shot that comes out looks confused and nervous… odd.
Taking a drink, I think about what I’m trying to do.
There’s a small black smudge on Tracy’s side of the court, a foot left of the line, near the back right corner.
“Hit that smudge,” I think.
Next swing, the racket blisters the ball over the net.
It hits inches from the smudge, whizzing past Tracy.
“Nice shot,” she says.
“Thanks”
The rest of the game I’m hitting every spot, speck, and mark I can find.
Because when I’m thinking of a million things, it’s impossible to do one well.
But when I’m thinking of one?
I can do the impossible.
Everyone can.
Remember,
When we embrace practice, develop awareness, and align our efforts, we can rise above the deal.
We can live #quotaless.