In the fourth round of Roland Garros, 2 of the games needed 5 sets to determine the winner. Novak Djokovic was among the players. During the second set of his match, he injured his knee and yet continued to eventually win the match.

In contrast to his usual ability to stay calm, he found himself struggling, grumbling, and complaining. His injury transformed his attitude, he blamed the circumstances and especially the condition of the tennis court.

But in the end, he played at a very high level for hours, came close to losing the match, and consistently found his way back into the game and reconnected with his ability to win.

Seen from the result, his performance was not affected by his mood or his injury. He could rely on and use all of his craft until the end of the game. He kept it apart from how he was feeling about himself and the circumstances.

Discovering that we have access to our craft independently from circumstances can be a game changer. However, it might be difficult to accept this possibility as it tells a different story about one’s relationship with circumstances than focusing on them does.