Watching Resilience in Action at Tennis Canada

Yesterday I watched the qualifiers for Women’s Tennis 2025.  Sitting in the third row, center court, I could feel the athlete’s emotions right along with the speed of their stroke. Despite the intense competition, extreme heat and poor air quality, they persisted, point after point, to play. 

I was watching true grit in action. These athletes were human and emotional, not fearless or robotic. The ups and downs showed in their body language  But, they were tenacious and resilient. Through disappoint and doubt, they persisted. The match was a rollercoaster of elite performance and intense emotion, but each athlete would excel and fail and rebound. 

Yes, they would rebound. What was remarkable to me was the speed of their emotional rebound. Dwelling on a mistake would jeopardize the next point. They worked to maintain the mental strength of resilience and rebound between volleys, games and matches.  

This ability to rebound in the moment and maintain resilience is also critical at work. Meetings and interactions will be filled with highs and lows, but elite performance involves the ability to mentally rebound from the lows and stabilize during the inevitable volley of emotions.  

• What’s your rebound routine?  

• What are you telling yourself to pick up your emotions and stay positive in the game?

• What is your resilience mantra for those tough moments at work? 

Strengthening your Career Fitness® helps to build a resilience mindset and rebound routine to keep you at the top of your game.