Character Grows Out of Mindset

In 2000, Pete Sampras lost the first set of his Wimbledon final against Patrick Rafter. He was down four to one in the tiebreaker and said he felt like it was slipping away. As William Rodin puts it, he searched for a frame of reference that could carry him through. Four games later, the Boston Red Sox were the American League champions, and then the world champions. In her last Olympics, Jackie talked herself through an asthma attack during her last world championship. She instructed herself all the way to victory. It's what makes you practice and it's what allows you to dig down and pull out when you need it most.