Is That Really Me?

Published: 18 Jan 2006 - 00:36 by raystrach

Updated: 18 Jan 2006 - 00:36

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This column is billed as the Webmaster's daily battle to improve his game and achieve his goals. Today, the only part of that billing which was accurate was "daily battle". When one feels quite good and is prepared for a good performance, it is even more disappointing than if there are no expectations.

Since I got over the hump of restarting competitive Squash a few months back, I have swung between taking a fairly relaxed approach into the game and preparing meticulously. The traps that I have fallen into with either approach had been

Being relaxed can lead to poor preparation (especially mental) so that the game is very loose, no discipline and lack of commitment
The meticulous approach can lead to paralysis by analysis and trying too hard

So far I have failed to find the happy medium.

More recently I have been attempting to gain confidence and form by "trusting myself" That is, letting my sub-conscious take care of my game, given that I have prepared a basic game plan. Trouble is, while this approach has helped me relax on court a little more than what I was doing previously, in amoung the gems of winners and good strategy that I am producing, are far too many mistakes, tins, poor decision making and generally rubbish Squash.

Morning walk
Felt pretty good this morning Very little stiffness and soreness and my knees are improving

Light exercise
Knee strengthening exercises

Squash Game (Competition)
I started each game reasonably well tonite before I was rocked each time with a series of self inflicted brain explosions. In the third, I had to try to recover some pride and fought with pretty ugly Squash, but I came back from a few match points down (from 8-4) to win the game 10 -8.

How bright is this?
Playing an opponent who is younger , fitter, faster, and give him 2 and half games start, then wonder why I am totally gone in the fourth. as it was, I struggled thru and kept pace until about 7 all, before the brain ceased to function and ended up handing it to him on a platter.

If it is as they say - that you learn far more from defeat than you ever do from victory, I have learnt a lot (except that I have already learnt it before - why do I have to learn it again!!!)