Play Fearless - Embrace Mistakes

A lot of coaches and players approach drilling and playing with the mindset of avoiding mistakes at all costs. From the very beginning, players are often taught that mistakes are bad—and that the best players simply don't make them. While it’s true that professionals make fewer mistakes than amateurs, they didn’t get there by playing it safe or shying away from failure.

In fact, that mindset is not only inaccurate—it’s counterproductive. It’s detrimental to player development. I’ve seen so many players—especially at the lower levels—pass up opportunities to attack. They leave speed-ups untouched or turn clear put-away chances into passive shots that simply “get the ball over.”

I’ll be honest: I used to do the same thing when I was first starting out.

So when I ask these players why they didn’t take the shot, nine times out of ten they say the same thing:

“I was afraid I’d hit it in the net.”

Let me be clear—I would much rather a player go for the attack and miss than avoid it entirely. Because if they miss, we’ve got something to work with. We can coach their swing, their timing, their mechanics.

But if they don’t attempt the shot at all?
Then there’s nothing to fix—because there was no decision, no risk, and no growth.

Fear of mistakes leads to hesitation. And hesitation leads to missed opportunities—not just in points, but in player development. You only sharpen your instincts and refine your technique by trying. By stepping into the moment, taking the shot, and learning from what happens next.

Here’s the reality: you cannot win without risking losing.
I’ll say it again: YOU CANNOT WIN WITHOUT RISKING LOSING.

Every decision you make on the court—every shot you hit—carries some level of risk. And guess what? That’s okay. There should be. Growth comes from taking those risks, not from hiding behind "safe" play.

A lot of people preach that pickleball is all about shot selection. And yes, shot selection is important—especially at higher levels. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret that I believe deeply:

Pickleball is about shot execution.

It doesn’t matter if I know the perfect shot to hit for a given situation. If I can’t execute it, then all that great shot selection means absolutely nothing. You don’t develop consistency or confidence by avoiding mistakes. You develop it by leaning into the reps, accepting the risk, and learning from the results.

So stop fearing mistakes. Start embracing them as part of the climb. That’s how you go from guessing… to growing.



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