The San Francisco Giants just won the World Series of Major League Baseball.  They did so despite being one of the weaker teams entering the eight-team playoff.  However, their players performed wonderfully during the critical games, playing fully to their potential.

Table tennis competitors might consider the following quotes from some of the Giants, speaking about playing the last inning of the last game when they had their opportunity to take the championship:

Brian Wilson came in to pitch:  “…they had confidence in me.  They told me they wanted me to pitch it.  This is what I dreamed of.  This is the exact situation I’ve been dreaming of my whole life, the whole season, and I took the ball with confidence.”

Center fielder Aaron Rowand: “I was praying they would hit the ball to me. I wanted the last out…”

Second baseman Freddy Sanchez: “I always want the ball hit to me. I’ll try to make the play and get the job done.”

Rookie catcher Buster Posey: “I really wasn’t nervous there.  You want to be in that situation.  If you’re not in that situation, you’re losing.”

The next time you approach a critical match, game, or even point, think about these attitudes.  They are exactly correct for achieving success!