#471. Mindset Strategies for Playing Higher-Ranked Pickleball Opponents with Dr. Alex Auerbach

The BluePrint with Dr. Erik Korem

Discover how to conquer the mental challenges of facing tough opponents on the pickleball court with Dr. Alex Auerbach, former Senior Director of Wellness and Development for the Toronto Raptors. In this episode, Dr. Auerbach shares strategies for adopting the right mindset when playing against higher-ranked players and preparing for challenging matches.

Learn how to:

• Focus on your strengths and what you can control during a game
• Create a rich mental model of your opponent to reduce uncertainty
• Develop "if-then" plans to stay grounded in your own game
• Prepare effectively, even with limited time between matches

Whether you're an amateur looking to level up or a pro seeking to maintain your edge, Dr. Auerbach's insights will help you approach tough competition with confidence and poise.

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Quotable moments:

"If you can just focus on what you can control without worrying so much about who the opponent is, it's going to help you perform better. It's going to help you stay fully immersed in your game." - Dr. Alex Auerbach

"The more familiar we are, the more comfortable we are with who they are, even if we perceive them to be better, their rank higher, whatever it might be, we're going to start performing better because it feels more familiar." - Dr. Alex Auerbach

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ABOUT THE BLUEPRINT PODCAST:

The BluePrint Podcast is for busy professionals and Household CEOs who care deeply about their families, career, and health. Host Dr. Erik Korem distills cutting edge-science, leadership, and life skills into simple tactics optimized for your busy lifestyle and goals. Dr. Korem interviews scientists, coaches, elite athletes, entrepreneurs, entertainers, and exceptional people to discuss science and practical skills you can implement to become the most healthy, resilient, and impactful version of yourself.

On a mission to equip people to pursue audacious goals, thrive in uncertainty, and live a healthy and fulfilled life, Dr. Erik Korem is a High-Performance pioneer. He introduced sports science and athlete-tracking technologies to collegiate and professional (NFL) football over a decade ago. He has worked with the National Football League, Power-5 NCAA programs, gold-medal Olympians, Nike, and the United States Department of Defense.

Erik is an expert in sleep and stress resilience. He is the Founder and CEO of AIM7, a health and fitness app that unlocks the power of wearables by providing you with daily personalized recommendations to enhance your mind, body, and recovery.

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