Be a Goldfish: How to Stay in the Moment on the Pickleball Court

Forget the flub. Reset. Refocus. Win the next one.

It was the third unforced error in a row. I flubbed a routine dink, muttered something I shouldn't have, and walked to the back fence. I gave it a gentle tap with my paddle, and reset. That fence tap? It's my little ritual. My signal to myself: let it go. That point's over. Move on. Because the truth is, the ability to stay in the moment might be the most underrated skill in all of pickleball.

If you’ve ever watched Ted Lasso, you might remember one of his best coaching tips: “Be a goldfish”. Goldfish, he says, have a ten-second memory. That’s it. They forget. And when it comes to rec play, league nights, or even tournaments—being a goldfish isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.

Pickleball is fast, chaotic, and occasionally humbling. Even intermediate players miss overheads. Even great players get lobbed. And everyone, eventually, hits a drop that doesn’t drop. But here’s where your real competitive edge lies, not in avoiding mistakes, but in refusing to carry them into the next point.

When you let a bad shot echo into the next rally, you’ve effectively made a two-point error. You’re not just replaying the mistake—you’re reliving the frustration, the embarrassment, the self-talk that suddenly got a little less friendly. That emotional baggage shows up in your footwork, your paddle angle, and your decision-making. It slows you down in all the wrong ways.

So how do you practice being present?

Start with a physical reset. For me, it's the back fence tap. For you, it could be tapping your paddle against your hand, adjusting your hat, taking a single deep breath. Something that anchors you. That signals to your brain: next point. Clean slate.

You can also practice between games or during warm-up. Choose a phrase—“next ball,” “right now,” or yes, even “be a goldfish”—and repeat it after a miss. Reinforce the habit of leaving the past in the past. Your goal isn’t to play perfectly. Your goal is to play now.

One helpful mindset shift is to: think of pickleball not as a game of perfect execution, but as a game of pattern recognition and quick resets. The most consistent players aren’t the ones who never miss—they’re the ones who bounce back the fastest. They forget the flub and lean into the next shot with full presence.

So next time you miss an easy one—because you will—give yourself permission to forget. Tap the fence. Breathe. Reset.

And remember: goldfish don’t dwell. Goldfish don’t spiral. Goldfish just swim.

On the court, you don’t need a longer memory. You need to just keep swimming..