How to Bounce Back After a Great Shot That Didn’t Win the Point
Failed to add items
Sorry, we are unable to add the item because your shopping cart is already at capacity.
Add to basket failed.
Please try again later
Add to Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Remove from Wish List failed.
Please try again later
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
How to Bounce Back After a Great Shot That Didn’t Win the Point
-
Narrated by:
-
By:
About this listen
Or crush a passing shot down the line.
Or drop a buttery third shot that clips the net and lands perfectly in the kitchen. But… they dig it out.
They reset.
They scramble — and somehow, they win the point. And now, you’re the one rattled. It’s one of the toughest emotional hits in pickleball:
When you do everything right — and still lose the point. At Mental Pickleball, I coach players to recognize that great effort doesn’t always mean instant reward.
But that doesn’t mean it was wasted.
It means you’re planting seeds — for your game, your confidence, and your opponent’s future mistakes. Here’s how to bounce back when your best effort isn’t enough (yet): 1. Acknowledge the Quality Say it out loud or in your head: “That was a good shot.”
Affirm the action, not the outcome. It reinforces your identity as a skilled, thoughtful player. 2. Detach from Results Great shots that don’t score are still data points. They pressure your opponent. They wear them down. Trust that the impact is cumulative, even if the scoreboard doesn’t show it yet. 3. Stay in Creator Mode Don’t let one rally scare you back into playing safe. Stay confident. Keep creating pressure and taking smart risks.
Your job isn’t to control the outcome — it’s to keep applying pressure with intention. 4. Recover With Purpose Take a breath. Paddle up.
Let your body posture reflect belief, not defeat.
Because you’re building momentum — whether or not that shot landed today. Today’s challenge:
The next time your best shot doesn’t get the result you hoped for, bounce back with poise. Let that great play be fuel, not frustration. Because great shots are never wasted.
They’re part of something bigger. Quiet Mind, Fierce Game.
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.