THE PROBLEM YOU’RE NOT ADMITTING

When you hear stories like Janice Tjen, the easy interpretation is always the same: a difficult moment, some doubt, then the right people step in and everything works out. It sounds clean, motivating, almost reassuring. But that version is too simple to be useful. The truth is more uncomfortable: at some point, you stop wanting what tennis actually demands from you.

It’s not a lack of passion. It’s not weakness. It’s that you start to see the real cost clearly: constant travel, isolation, instability, repetition, pressure that doesn’t switch off. And in that moment, something shifts. You’re no longer evaluating the dream—you’re evaluating the price.

THE MECHANISM: THE CONFLICT BETWEEN WHAT YOU WANT AND WHAT IT REQUIRES

Inside you, a very specific split begins to form. On one side, you want to improve, compete, grow. On the other, you want comfort, stability, normality. This conflict is not abstract—it shows up directly in your behavior.

You train, but not fully.
You commit, but not consistently.
You accept the process… but only when it suits you.

This is not a problem of ability. It’s a problem of alignment.

WHERE THE “I WANT TO QUIT” THOUGHT REALLY COMES FROM

The thought of quitting doesn’t come because you’re tired. It comes because you’re no longer willing to pay the full price. And when you’re not willing to pay, everything becomes heavier.

Every trip feels like a burden.
Every session feels forced.
Every match feels like pressure instead of opportunity.

Tennis hasn’t changed. Your relationship with what it requires has.

WHY OTHERS “CONVINCE YOU” (BUT THAT’S NOT THE POINT)

In Tjen’s case, her inner circle pushed her to continue. That matters—but not in the way most people think.

People don’t really convince you. They force you to face your decision.

And when you’re put in that position, you can’t stay vague anymore. Either you accept the cost, or you move away from it.

THE PLAYERS WHO LAST ARE NOT STRONGER. THEY ARE CLEARER

The players who continue are not necessarily more talented or more motivated. They are simply clearer.

They know what it takes.
They know what they lose.
And they accept it anyway.

Not every day with excitement—but every day without negotiation.

THE SOLUTION: STOP LOOKING FOR MOTIVATION, START DECIDING

If you are in that phase, looking for motivation is useless. Motivation is unstable. It comes and goes, and it cannot carry the weight of a long-term path.

You need to do something much simpler—and much harder: decide.

Do you really want this path?
If yes, then you accept everything that comes with it.

Not partially. Not when it feels good. Fully.

DRILL: DEFINE THE PRICE

Take a moment and write it clearly: what does tennis actually require from you? Travel, sacrifice, time away from home, mental load, repetition.

Then make a decision.

Not “let’s see how it goes.”
Not “it depends.”

Either you accept the price, or you don’t.

Because staying in between is what drains you the most.

THE TRUTH YOU’RE AVOIDING

You don’t really want to quit.

You just haven’t decided if you’re willing to pay the full price.

And as long as you stay in that space, the doubt will always come back.

FINAL TRUTH

The question is not if you love tennis enough.
The question is if you’re willing to live the life it requires.

📩 Want to learn how to manage moments when you feel lost instead of collapsing?
DOWNLOAD the FREE BOOK: Why You Lose Important Games
👉 https://patreon18.aweb.page/master-pressure-games

Federico Coppini
Mental Coach & Tennis Coach
Founder – Coppini Tennis Academy
🎾 https://www.coppinitennisacademy.com