The Choice Point: The Scientifically Proven Method to Push Past Mental Walls and Achieve Your Goals


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Library of Congress Control Number: 2023930982
 ISBNs: 9780306830273 (hardcover), 9780306830297 (ebook)
 E3-20230421-JV-NF-ORI
 
 
 
 
 Foreword by Martina Navratilova
 The images we hold in our heads have tremendous power. The first time I won Wimbledon, it was not the first time I experienced holding the trophy in my hands. I had held the Wimbledon trophy in my imagination for years. My dad planted the seed when I was little by telling me that one day, I’d win Wimbledon. I believed him, but then again, what did I know about the world in fourth grade?
 I had no idea what my journey would be, but I knew I’d have a big future. Wimbledon was such an iconic image that I could hold it in my mind’s eye. So I would:
 Imagine winning the match point
 Imagine hitting great shots
 Imagine getting the trophy
 Holding the trophy
 Kissing the trophy
 Lifting it over my head
 These images became embedded in me. I had a destination and goals. Like most athletes, I am goal driven. Thankfully, I had confidence too. I always felt like I could match up to anybody and compete in whatever sport I wanted to pursue. I chose tennis because I loved it. The moment I stepped out onto the court, I was home. I always loved tennis, and if I could win doing it, how great was that? I was not pushed into it by anyone—quite the opposite. When it came time to practice, I was the first one out the door and onto the court.
 When I was five years old, I would hit the ball against a wall for hours, and I loved it! Keep in mind this was long before smart phones and social media. I was never bored, and I never minded doing what it took to get better—no matter how strenuous or monotonous. The training was all part of the process, even the pain. I was not just going to eat the icing off the cake and leave the center, because that is not how champions are made. I did not pick and choose which part of the tough conditioning that I wanted to do; I was committed to doing all of it. If I respected a coach, I’d listen and do my homework.
 You may be saying to yourself: That’s easy for you to say; you are Martina Navratilova. That’s true—I was once a preadolescent pip-squeak on the train to Prague. I was carrying my big dreams as well as my schoolbag and a tennis bag when a stranger asked me, “Why all those tennis racquets?” I said I played tennis, and I quietly trusted that, someday, they would not ask that question.
 If you decide to go for your dream, you will likely be tested by adversity. It is important to have an internal compass that no one can touch, neither a critic nor a popular opponent. My life purpose is a commitment to human rights, a commitment to fairness, a value that came from my outspoken parents. The fame I gained from tennis enabled me to use my platform to speak out and maybe change some people’s minds about their prejudices.
 I am not perfect, obviously. But when I make a mistake, I learn and adapt. That’s what you have to do when you play tennis. It teaches you many good lessons for life.
 On the court I faced my nerves and the constant “what-ifs.” Off the court I had to overcome many setbacks, including the opinions of media and society. I made bigger headlines when I lost than when I won. Back then was not like today—players could not connect with fans on social media. I was in a seesaw battle throughout my career: I felt welcome in a foreign land for my athleticism, and then rejected for my sexual orientation. However, despite the social pressure from the media, I never lost sight of me. I carried on and knew in my head and my heart that I was ahead of my time. I was a strong, outspoken gay woman with muscles. I believed the world would catch up one day, and it did.
 Just as Jonathan and Jo will teach you in this book, knowing your “why,” understanding your internal belief system, and connecting to your moral compass will serve you when the tide is against you. In those moments, I encourage you to find a way. Don’t be cowed by convention; find your own path.
 And I’m going to take a moment and speak directly to the women athletes who might be