Slippery Slope Syndrome
Have you ever started a match like gangbusters; relaxed, powerful, unerringly accurate and consistent only to suddenly find yourself profoundly differently abled. I have way too much experience with this phenomenon. The slippery slope from the wonderous Zone that leads down into the wretched Pit of Despair (aka Tennis Hell) has always fascinated and terrified me. Often it feels as though someone has thrown a switch turning off every shred of tennis skill I thought I owned. The onset is often sudden and without warning or apparent cause. How could such a violent and complet loss of competence just happen?
Actually the slide down the slippery slope doesn't just happen, but the trigger and the process that causes the slide are astoundingly subtle.
Generally the syndrome begins with a single negative thought. This may be as simple as saying to oneself "I hope I don't blow this lead!" after committing a particularly unconscionable error. The negative thought might generate a wave fear and shame in the cerebral cortex - the seat of the ego mind. After all, it is the cortex that is charged with protecting us from harm. Its predominately inhibitory neural activity engenders caution and care. It can suspend action while it evaluates the danger.
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