Are you too obsessed with pickleball? Here’s why that’s hurting your game
Last Edited
Mar 10 2025
Category
News
We all want to get better at pickleball. That’s part of the fun—improvement, competition, and chasing that next level. But what if I told you that your obsession with getting better might actually be the thing holding you back?
The more time and effort you put in, the better you should become. And for a while, that’s exactly what happens. You play more, you win more, and you start thinking, "Hey, I might actually be pretty good at this."
Then something shifts. The more you care, the worse you seem to play. Every mistake feels catastrophic. You tighten up, lose confidence, and suddenly, the game that once felt effortless now feels frustrating.
So how do you fix it? Let’s break it down.
Overthinking hurts your game
The biggest issue with obsession isn’t the extra hours you put in—it’s the mental stress that comes with it. When you start focusing on perfection, two things happen:
You overanalyze every mistake. Instead of moving on from a missed third shot, you dwell on it. Before you know it, one bad point turns into an entire match meltdown.
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You stop having fun. Pickleball used to be a game. Now it feels like a test you keep failing. That tension affects your play, leading to even more frustration.
Sports psychologists call this “paralysis by analysis.” The more pressure you put on yourself, the more your body tenses up and the harder it is to execute even the basics.
But there’s good news—this cycle can be broken.
How to reset your mind & enjoy the game again
1. Play More Low-Stakes Games
Drop into an open play session where you don’t know anyone. Play with beginners. Goof around a little. When winning isn’t the goal, you’ll remember why you started playing in the first place.
2. Drill Without the Pressure of Performance
Instead of measuring your progress in wins and losses, shift your focus to repetition and improvement. Drilling removes the emotional highs and lows of gameplay, making it easier to regain confidence. Bonus: your skills will improve naturally.
3. Change the Way You Talk to Yourself
Would you tell a doubles partner they “suck” every time they missed a shot? No? Then stop saying it to yourself. Negative self-talk doesn’t just kill confidence—it literally rewires your brain to expect failure. Cut yourself some slack.
It’s You vs. You
Pickleball is supposed to be fun. If you’re constantly frustrated, take a step back. Play a few games just for the joy of it. Drill without judgment. Most importantly, remind yourself how far you’ve come.
Perfection isn’t the goal—progress is. And sometimes, the best way to improve is to stop trying so hard.
Frank Hines loves the game of pickleball and sharing that passion with as many people as possible. He found the game over two years ago and hasn't let up since. Follow Frank on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram.
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