Self-Talk Affirmations

When on the tennis court (or any sport) you must make sure that you maintain a positive attitude and project confidence. The mind cannot have a positive and negative thought at the same time. Choose to be positive.

These are statements that you can repeat to yourself to achieve your peak performance. By repeating these during your games, you can help defeat the negative thoughts that can and will arise during play.

• I maintain a strong on-court image regardless of the situation.
• I allow myself to make mistakes, rebounding quickly and completely.
• I always give 100%, regardless of the score or outcome of the match.
• I am a relentless fighter.
• I work hard to be in the best physical condition and I work hard to maintain that edge.
• I am a mentally tough competitor.
• I have a positive mental attitude, I always look for the good.
• The tougher the situation, the more challenged I become.
• I am quick and alert and ready to move to any ball on the court.
• I have absolute and total concentration and focus during a match.
• I enjoy playing before a crowd and appreciate their support.
• I love the craziness of competition.
• I am intensely motivated to be the best player I can be.
• I am confident of my ability to win.
• I feel challenged in pressure situations and remain relaxed and focused, following my rituals at all times.
• I visualize my serves and return of serves in detail before I hit the ball.
• I quickly release the frustration of a poor shot, remaining positive and focused.
• I am in complete control of my thoughts and emotions.
• I learn something about my game and myself with each match I play.
• When a negative thought enters my mind, I take a moment and replace that thought with something positive.
• I feel calm and relaxed, loose and energized when I play.

Find 3-4 that work best for you. It should elicit the best response during the match that puts you in the correct fighter's frame of mind. As good as these self affirmations can be for sports, they work equally as well in everyday life. Having a strong, positive mental attitude is key to becoming the best you can be.