First of all, we fully understand what you are currently going through. There’s no shame in admitting to it. Key is to let the emotions run their full course instead of suppressing or worse, denying their very existence. We all have been there. Some on this site, actually live there. So there’s no shame. Just let it flow and get it out of your system - naturally.
You have to recognize that every great player who ever walked this planet hit that point in their career, and most of the time it was all of sudden and out of nowhere.
I have hit that point too. Well, it was at an entirely ‘new’ and ‘creative’ ‘activity’. And I am not adding all these apostrophes. They are just popping up on their own. Point is I have been there, so I feel you.
You see, whenever we lose anything in life, we are naturally hurt and disappointed. Well, I have figured out a way to not let it bother me. Not that I lose too often, not because I am so good. It’s just because I own so little.
The fact that we own anything is a misnomer. Every blessing we are currently enjoying has been bestowed upon us by our creator. It’s like a driver’s licence. It’s a privilege, not a right.
We think we ‘own’ the house, the car, the furniture, children, parents, family etc. They are all on loan to us, and one day will be taken away irrevocably.
So when we lose something we never really owned in the first place, it takes the sting out of the whole transaction, don’t you think? In its place you now have extreme gratitude that you were considered worthy by the creator to have been allowed to enjoy that ‘privelege’ for a while.
You do understand that you have had a unique privilege, and there were so many variables that were kept in alignment/check for you to sustain that blessing. There could have been so many obstacles and natural detours that could have prevented even the start of the glorious journey you were on. Don’t believe it? Just ask Haas or Keifer in the locker room.
Our job is not to question or cry and moan when the driver’s licence is revoked, but rather to enjoy the ‘privilege’ as long as we are blessed with it, and be thankful for just having been granted that blessing.
I am sure you have heard of the falling of the pack of cards, and how one event in our life sometimes has a snow ball affect to take down many other perfectly healthy aspects of our lives. Since this formula is able to compartmentalize the various departments in life, we can let go of one component without ruining the running machinery.
So maybe this is the beginning of an end of your life as a dominating tennis player. Big deal. There are many other endeavors that are waiting for your arrival and if you choose them carefully, like you did with tennis, you can easily duplicate if not exceed the success you have had here.
Like they say ‘the only constant we have in our life is change’. Instead of fighting it, we should embrace it to propel ourselves to newer and more exciting opportunities that this change uncovers.
Bottom line: Do not let go of your aggressive mindset, irrespective of what the scoreboard or the local newspaper says. Whatever has to happen will happen. You would rather get there with your natural game, rather than regret what could have happened if you had not listened to the doubting Thomases. STEP BOLDLY AND WITHOUT FEAR. It brings its own reward and aroma – a gift reserved for the King of the jungle, never to be heard or seen by sheep. Don’t bring yourself down to their level. Stay where you are, with what you have, and let them come get it up there.
Do you know it takes hours for hyenas to start devouring a dead male lion, just because of the smell? Stand firm with your weapons and go down fighting on the front foot.
There are many who would love to be in your shoes. So temper your current thoughts with these and see if they give you new perspective, and may be provide a second wind to take on the ‘bull by the horns’ again.
PS: Does Mirka have a sister who likes four legged animals? Just checking!!!!
