The Playbook with Colin Jonov
Formerly The Athletic Fortitude Show.... Colin Jonov’s Athletic Fortitude Show has rebranded to The Playbook with Colin Jonov, evolving from a sports-centric podcast to a universal guide for mastering life’s challenges. While retaining its foundation in mindset and performance excellence, the show now expands its scope to empower everyone—athletes, entrepreneurs, professionals, and beyond—to live life to its fullest potential
The Playbook with Colin Jonov
Dr. Dora Kurimay- The Mental Game That Separates Champions From Everyone Else
Dr. Dora Kurimay shares her journey from Hungarian national table tennis player to sports psychologist and mental performance coach, revealing powerful insights on developing self-awareness and mental toughness for competitive athletes.
• Moving from Budapest to Berkeley at age 25 created a significant cultural and language adjustment despite prior English training
• Competed with the Hungarian national table tennis team from ages 14-18 before transitioning to psychology studies
• Self-awareness forms the foundation of mental performance through journaling, reflection, and video analysis
• Language shapes performance psychology – focus on "areas for improvement" rather than weaknesses
• Staying present ("present is your home") is critical for competitive success
• Developing consistent "mistake rituals" helps athletes quickly recover from errors and refocus
• Specific breathing techniques like 4-7-8 breathing help regulate energy levels during competition
• Every great athlete experiences losses – viewing them as learning opportunities develops resilience
• Different personalities and sports require different mental approaches – there's no one-size-fits-all strategy
• Books and resources available on Dr. Kurimay's website for athletes looking to develop mental skills
Visit Dr. Kurimay's website to explore her books "Get Your Game Face On" volumes 1 and 2, and learn about individual and team consultations to improve your mental game.
How hard was it for you to move to America in the first place?
Speaker 2:It was a big adjustment, but I would say it was a great adjustment and at the beginning it was really difficult, but afterwards I mean it went smoothly. But that was a big transition. I was 25 years old when I moved from Budapest to Berkeley to California and it was a very different environment and a very different culture and you know the language also. Of course, I learned English and I speak English, but it's different when you move to another country and you have to study and do everything in English.
Speaker 1:Did you have any prior English experience speaking, writing, learning a language? Or was it just thrust into cold turkey? Hey, I need to learn this language as I pursue my master's degree oh no, I wouldn't have accepted to the university.
Speaker 2:so there was a TOEFL exam and uh, toefl I don't know if you know that and um, also, I, I learned, uh, english. I learned English from age eight, so I've been learning English for a long time. But again, it's very different when you learn a language in school and it's different when you move to another country and you have to study in English, because before I studied in, I mean, I studied in Hungarian, right, so that was a little different. And also the school where I went to it's called JFK University. That time I was one. There was only one other international student. Now there are many international students. By that time there weren't that many international students whose English was the second language. So I studied with Americans and British people, but mainly Americans.
Speaker 1:Now, when you came to America, were you still competing at this point?
Speaker 2:No, I didn't. So I played for the Hungarian national team from age 14 till age 18. And also I actually I played for I was a professional player for a year, so I only played table tennis. And then I got accepted to a Hungarian university and I studied psychology. I studied at Ötvös Lorand University, which is a very good university, and when I got accepted I transitioned from table tennis to psychology. So I didn't play for five years because I only studied. It was a very difficult major and also very strong university, top university.
Speaker 2:And I moved to the US because I got a scholarship to study for my master's degree in sports psychology. I even wrote my thesis on sports psychology when I was finishing my studies in psychology, and sports psychology was not available in Hungary to study. There was very limited education at that time. So I got a scholarship to study. Just, there was very limited education that time. So I got a scholarship to study and I didn't play for five years. And when I started playing again because I wanted to try sports psychology myself and also it was a great way to connect with people because I'm in a new country and yeah so I started playing again, but I didn't play for five years.
Speaker 2:I didn't even yeah.
Speaker 1:I'm always fascinated by former athletes who go into the space. So was it something you experienced as an elite competitive athlete that drew you to sports psychology? Or are those interests independent of one another? That so happened to intertwine with just your interest in table tennis and competing and your interest in sports psychology?
Speaker 2:so both. Yes, so table tennis basically sparked interest in sport psychology and I stopped playing. But when I moved to the US, table tennis sparked back sorry, sports psychology sparked back my interest in table tennis. So it's very interesting. Yes.
Speaker 1:So, as an athlete, what were some of the things that you wish that you knew most, that you now know as a sports psych and that you implemented after you came back to start playing?
Speaker 2:So I had the privilege to work with a sports psychologist growing up. So that was also. I worked at age 14, I worked with a sports psychologist. I learned about visualization and um and some basic uh skills. So I already had. I already know that the mental game is very important and I learned breathing technique, affirmations. So I had um, some experience, uh, on the other hand, right as an athlete working with a mental trainer. But after I had a break and I went back and I also had even previous studies in psychology as well and sports psychology, and I had a way deeper knowledge, more self-awareness, I think. So I would say that I think everything starts with self-awareness and and knowing, realizing your thoughts and and feelings and and just using breathing and able to, I would say the most important thing. When you're able to adjust your energy level, I would say that's the most important thing. And with the knowledge when I was studying sports psychology, my awareness became way. I mean I became way more aware than I was before.
Speaker 1:What are some of the tangible strategies that you can implement to become more self-aware?
Speaker 2:Journaling is very, very helpful, and doing reflections and also just understanding that the thoughts are very important, what we are thinking, so it's affecting, even right before or or the day when we are competing, what kind of thoughts we have, what kind of energy we have. So just noticing our thoughts and also our energy, right, that's also very important, and I mean just knowing also that how body language is affecting us and also the other. I would say, um, besides journaling and and doing reflections, and, um, you are able to observe your, your yourself.
Speaker 1:Uh, besides that, um, videos like recordings are very, very helpful because, um, you, you, many times you have some ideas how you're playing or what your body language look like, but when you're actually watching the game, or what you are doing, what tactics you are playing, but, um, when you're watching the, the game, it might be a little different so, when you're journaling or you're doing the reflecting or incorporating the videos and recordings of yourself, what are some of the questions that you can begin to ask yourself, to reflect upon, like, what is the actual process of the journaling, or question asking that can help you become self-aware or have the right answers, or generate the awareness to be like oh okay, this is what I'm doing?
Speaker 2:So I would say the most important one is that know, when you play your best, what you do, because many athletes it's not a rare like, oh, I just have a great match or I played so well, but they don't know actually what they are doing. So just knowing what are the most important things for you to do your best regarding energy level, regarding pace, regarding mental clarity, and also what you do before your match, what's helpful for you, and what you do during the match when you're playing your best. So the questions you can ask is like what went well, what did I do well right, what I didn't? And basically, what did I learn today and how I'm going to do differently next time? Usually these are good questions to ask and when you do that, you see that you're repeating yourself. Or, if yes, you can start working on those skills.
Speaker 1:To understand what you do well. Do you rely on a coach or another person to give you that feedback as well? Because sometimes I feel, if you're not totally self-aware, you can feel that you did something really well. However, in reality, you may not have done it as well as you thought. Or, on the flip side, you may have thought you didn't do something well but you're actually really good at performing in some capacity that somebody has to bring it to your attention. So do you rely, in the self-reflection process, on other people to help answer and build those that awareness?
Speaker 2:oh, absolutely. It depends on also how old are the athletes, right? So, the kids, um, I'm also talking. I, I talked about my experience. I, I was an adult right when I, uh, when I did the self-reflection, so that was different and I had some background and knowledge regarding the sport and and what's important.
Speaker 2:So, regarding kids, of course, the coach can help a lot, and, of course, the parents as well. Um, but, um, it's good to keep the different roles right. So, so, um, a coach is is super important, uh, regarding feedback, I usually like to call it like ask for feedback. Feedback is gold, right? Um, because, um, there can be some coaches that they're just doing, oh, you're doing great, but, um, that's, that's a very good encouragement, but also it's good to know what they are doing good and also what are the areas that should be improved and also, if they don't do something well or it's not going well, what they have to adjust to able to do it well one thing I notice and pick up on language is when you say like areas to be improved upon or areas for improvement, instead of saying weaknesses.
Speaker 1:Is that intentional? And then what is like the thought process behind that?
Speaker 2:I, I like to always more reframe things in a positive way, so that's what I'm also teaching athletes. So rather say that I don't want to do that like say what you want, and because that's a better way to phrase it. So language is important and I also like to use areas for improvements. I know some people like to say weaknesses, but it's just a more positive way to phrase things that of course, there are always areas, uh, to improve. And also I think, um, perfection is imperfect, so I I mean, um, nothing is going to be always perfect, and even if you are the best, you can still improve I always go back and forth at.
Speaker 1:Actually, let me preface with this I am a massive proponent on how language shapes not only your own life but everything around you and how you perceive the world, very critical of myself, whether I'm competing now or doing something else. And sometimes I feel in my own world I might be being fluffy with myself If I say an area of improvement for myself, versus I just sucked at that today like that was bad, I need to get better here, or like, hey, this is a weakness, I need to build upon it. And my question to you is that unique to the individual or is it baseline?
Speaker 2:Hey, if everybody reframes language in this light, they're going to get better performance out of it. It depends on the person. And of course, you know, guys, it's also I suck, and even you tease each other, right. So I think there is also kind of can be a sense of humor about it, because you can laugh together, right, because you tease each other. So it's different for guys. So it's also you have to choose your language based on the sport and based on the person, because some people are more sensitive, some people are less sensitive, some people need this little bit, poke them in a way, right so, or shake them, but some people need, need more encouragement and you have to phrase things a little bit differently. So I would say it's always adjust also your language to the person. And also there can be cultural differences as well, even regarding sports as well, right? So my language might be like oh, areas for improvement in football.
Speaker 1:So I mean, that can be a little bit different, right? Is there merit, then, to say so? One thing I will say I do myself is, instead of saying like I'm not losing today, right, whether I'm playing a recreational pickup basketball game or something actually more meaningful, I say like I'm gonna win, going to win, or I'm going to perform well, instead of saying I'm not going to make this mistake, I'm going to do this really well, like when I'm golfing. It's not like, hey, I don't want to hit it into the water. I'm going to say I'm going to hit it right of the water or I'm going to hit it in the fairway. So I'm really big on that for myself. But is there merit to that? Where you're choosing that specific language, you see some of the studies that say, if you say I'm not going to lose, really what your brain is attracted to is the negative pattern. Is there merit to that? Or is that, again, a case-by-case person?
Speaker 2:No, I totally agree with you. If you don't want to see the pink elephant, you're going to see the pink elephant. So, uh, I totally agree, uh, with you. Uh, say what, what, what you want, not what you don't want it's funny, you bring up the elephant.
Speaker 1:I had an um had an Olympic gold medalist, bmx racer, connor Fields, on the show a while ago and he talked about the pressure of performing in the Olympics and he says you never want to make the moment bigger than it is. But he's like you have to be real about the moment. He's like if you keep saying don't look at the elephant, don't look at the elephant, he's like what are you going to do? Look at the elephant, he's like. So you have to be able to understand the pressure of that moment and rationalize it for yourself. So when you say that pink elephant example, is that the same process? When you're in those heat of the moment competition do you have to call the moment? Do you have to recognize the magnitude or pressure of the moment or do you try and navigate ways around it?
Speaker 2:I would say just be in the present moment. As soon as you you make a big deal about it, you're already putting pressure on yourself and and just, but some people again like more pressure than than others. Um, but I, I would say, just I, I also, uh, see that and also hear interviews. When the athletes are performing their best, they are feeling oh, that was it, it's okay, so it's just happening, it's a flow, it's just they are in the present moment and not overthinking, because I usually say present is your home. So if you are in the past or in the future, you can't perform well in the moment because you are not in the present moment.
Speaker 1:Do we genetically, or I should say maybe? Why are some of us more prone to butterflies than others? What is it specifically that would make someone more prone to butterflies than someone else?
Speaker 2:I also feel like. So there are different personality types. I don't know if you heard about the sensation seekers. There are studies about that. So, for example, if someone's like extreme sports and doing more of those they need need higher energy, they are seeking higher energy. So I think it's it's all about the energy. So everyone has a different energy and some people need more stimulus and some people need less stimulus. So some people don't want to be overstimulated and if they are overstimulated, they wouldn't perform that well. Also, there are introverts and extroverts. They wouldn't perform that well. Also, there are introverts and extroverts.
Speaker 2:And also I think some sports require different type of personalities. But in the moment, of course, it's the most important thing to know what you need in the moment and how you can adjust your energy level regarding when you're performing, because when your energy level is right, everything is working, so you are able to execute on your shots what you trained for. If not, if it's too low, you go sluggish. If it's too high, you go too nervous and your muscles get tense and you're not going to be able to execute what you are capable of doing.
Speaker 1:I have this theory and I'd love to hear your opinion or critique of it that any athlete part of the reason, either subconsciously or consciously, that they love sport and competing is because of the element of it's not guaranteed that you're going to win and there is something to put at risk.
Speaker 1:And there is this just like, hey, I may actually lose, or there's a component of that. But that's what makes part of the thrill of competition so fun, of the thrill of competition so fun. And I think some athletes actually need to bring that piece to light and acknowledge that, hey, I may lose and that's okay and that's what makes this so exhilarating and that's where the adrenaline rush comes from and that's where I can compete and execute at a high level, because I know that I do love that component of this. And even if I do lose, yes, it's going to sting, it's going to hurt, and I'm going to go love that component of this, Even if I do lose. Yes, it's going to sting, it's going to hurt and I'm going to go through those flow of emotions, but I know at the end of the day it's going to be okay and I'm going to get back on my horse and do it again. But part of what makes this so much fun and why I love this so much is that element of the unknown.
Speaker 2:I'd love to have you either poke holes or tell me am I on track to something there? It's an interesting concept that you're highlighting this. I would say that you can't control winning or lose. Winning, basically, because that's, that's, just focusing on winning. It's, it's, um, it's not not. You can't control it fully, you don't know who is going to be your opponent, um and um, and also you can do your best, but um, it's. There are so many uncertain factors. So I I would say also just teaching, uh, the kids. It's one of the most important thing is is, uh, not to focus on just winning and um, because winning is is not. Many, many kids, for example, think that winning they can control, if they can win or lose, right, and even I would say um, um. Other athletes as well. Some athletes think that. But to answer your question, I never thought that someone likes competing because it's uncertain. I would say they love competing because they just love the excitement or the challenge of it, but I don't think that would be the uncertainty I would.
Speaker 1:I would question that what would make you question that?
Speaker 2:I mean, if somebody is, is is really good and and um have, someone has a really unshakable confidence, they are not going in a tournament or a game that, oh, I might lose. So that's why I like to do it.
Speaker 1:I'm not saying necessarily that they like to do it because they might lose.
Speaker 2:I'm saying, I think that there is this element of uncertainty that adds to it that I have something on the line here that makes it so enjoyable to go out and compete. I believe if you can control your skill sets and you can control your preparation, you can control your attitude. So you are not going in about. I never, honestly, I never thought about that that athletes like to compete because the uncertainty. But I would say that it's very interesting.
Speaker 2:Baseball is a sport that, when you know, know, handling setbacks is super important because, right, it is baseball a sport that I would say, compared to other sports, that you have to handle setbacks more and failure more regarding the hitting percentage than other sports. So I would say that handling failure in baseball is huge, but I would say maybe the challenge and the love of the competition, I would say that's very important for athletes and uncertainty. If you say uncertainty, for for me what shows up is is entrepreneurship, right, but I I would not think about athletes, because athletes are there to train and I think, for example, being an athlete way more easier. Think, for example, being an athlete is way more easier than being an entrepreneur, and being an entrepreneur is 5%. You have 5%, 10% to succeed or even 5%, right If you're an athlete and you have good skills and you put the time and effort, it's way easier to handle than of course there can be injuries and other things and other circumstances, but I think there are more controllable factors than in than in entrepreneurship.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you agree with that no, I, I just think in general, right, like when I, when I view competition like what makes competition so enjoyable for myself is one I love lining up across, like football obviously is my background, but I played, you know, baseball and basketball in the high school level as well. But there's just something to be said about lining across from someone and saying it's going to be me or you, right, like I said, that the kind of that like element, like I may lose, like that blood flow, right, if I'm just like competing freely, the like, that adrenaline rush is not the same. And so when I have something to lose, that adrenaline rush spikes, right, that dopamine spikes like, hey, I have to be locked in here. And it makes it more enjoyable, not necessarily in the sense like, oh, I'm going to lose, but having something at stake makes competition higher, everybody competes at a higher level and ultimately more enjoyable.
Speaker 1:And, like, my rationalization is part of competition. Is knowing, hey, it's not guaranteed I'm going to win. Do I believe in myself? Yes, am I going to execute? Yes, May I lose? Sure, and knowing that that piece is part of it, to me at least, helps me compete at a higher level, just rationalizing and be like. Part of the reason this adrenaline is flowing is because, hey, there is a possibility I may lose. I can't necessarily control that right, but it's going to make this more enjoyable knowing that the stakes are high. Does that make sense?
Speaker 2:No, absolutely, it makes sense. I think also it's important to differentiate individual sports and team sports. I played individual sports, so in team sports also, you play as a team, right, and individual sports is different and also highlight the level of the competition. So if you're really good and you're playing a lower level competition, you know it's, um, it's, it's different. But if you, if you play even players or or um higher level players and you are the underdog, it's also different. So I think it's also matter um, you know the skill set and the competition, yeah, yeah, so I totally agree with you. But it also depends where you, what tournament or game you're joining and who are the participants.
Speaker 1:Something that you mentioned as well, obviously a very high failure. Sport like baseball, or you look at golf, these individual sports, tennis, where you know Roger Federer, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, only won 51% of his points. So these sports where there's higher failure. In between each pitch, each set, each serve, each swing, there's created pressure. How do you handle the conversations in your mind in between those spaces?
Speaker 2:What's really important is play point by point, regardless from the previous points, and there is no time after an error to basically get into a negative cycle. So the quicker the recovery is, the better. Basically, and how you can do that, I like I really like to use the mistake ritual, which helps you to basically move on to the next point. So a mistake ritual is what you do, um consistently, consistently. Whenever you miss a shot, you do the same repetitive um, basically um mistake ritual, which can be turned around or walk to the fence and look at one spot and have to take a deep breath and then go back and um, and it's a very good um ritual. So what I would say is it's the quicker you can move on from mistakes, the better it is and it helps the player to play their best.
Speaker 1:But again, there are also temperament differences so it can vary to different athletes in those moments where it's a mountain to climb to come back in a game, right, whether it's team or individual. But I look at I'm assuming you follow, do you follow tennis? Is that a fair assumption? Like non-table tennis, but tennis, tennis. So yes, uh, sinner, and alcaraz alcaraz, two matches ago, where Alcaraz is down to his final point to lose and he not only has to win that point, he has to win the next three sets, basically. And not only does he win the point, he comes back and wins all those sets. Win the point, he comes back and wins all those sets. I can't rationalize how hard that is when you're literally on your last point and you have to rally all the way back.
Speaker 2:How do you simplify it and stay point to point when it's so easy for your mind to wander, to think about I have to win basically a hundred points to try and win each of these sets it's, it's definitely mental stamina, mental toughness, right, and and basically, professional players, I, I trained to have a mindset that you, you have to find until till the end, right, the best players and, um, they're not thinking about in the long, long run, but they are just in the present moment. And and what is your job on the court? To play for every point, right. So, so, if you have that mindset, I think that's the way you, you are able to do that and the best, and they, they can do that and that's why they are the best, right, and it's, it's, it's a continuous training how do you get the ability.
Speaker 1:What are the baby steps to get to that mindset? How do you go from I'm someone and we'll talk about at all levels. You have a ton of talent. You struggle to control that voice in your head. What is some of the first steps that you can take to get to that mindset where I'm going to play for this point and I'm going to stay present Because you keep talking about being present. So focus on staying present, point to point, or whether it's pitch to pitch or snap to snap in football. What are the first steps you can take to get myself to stay present?
Speaker 2:When you are playing basically when you're in a match situation right.
Speaker 2:So it's very important how players use their time and the first step is reaction. So when the point point ends, it's very important to keep a good body language right, because it's also affecting your energy level and encourage yourself. So I would say that's very important and the first step to be aware of that is again know your thoughts. To be aware of that is, again, know your thoughts. So if you're in a in a match situation, the best is to to have some keywords and and also some phrases that help you to move on to the next point and encourage yourself. So, for example, if you lost a point, it's okay, focus on the next point. Um, I can, I can do the next one better. So encouragement is very, very important. Otherwise, um, the players can go in a negative uh spire and, how I said, the mistake ritual is also super important then then then also um, there, there there is also an important part is the recovery. If you look at players, they use their towels, walk around, shake their hands and arms, so that's also helping them to be in the present moment and move on. Then then the next step is the ready step, which is basically, you want to analyze, uh, what just happened and what's my job to the next step is the ready step, which is basically you want to analyze what just happened and what's my job to the next point. So it's a very quick analysis of the game.
Speaker 2:Every sport has strategies, so it's important to know what's just happening Right. And the last step is also helps you to stay in the present moment is when you are, for example, in tennis, when you're serving. If you look at the players, every player has a serve ritual how many ball at a time. They bounce the ball to take a deep breath. So they might even visualize things before they serve where they are going to hit the ball and also where they are going to hit the ball and also where they are going to serve. So these different steps are super important to be in the present moment. But again, this is happening so quickly and the best when this is trained, not just in a tournament, but during training as well, because when the pressure is high, automatic muscles start working automatic mental muscles, automatic physical muscles. So you want to train those muscles during training.
Speaker 1:Did you ever find yourself, as a competitive athlete, caught in those negative spirals that you talk about wanting to avoid?
Speaker 2:Of course, in the past I'm sure it happened that I had more. I found myself not as confident even before match and I realized, oh, my thoughts are not the normal one, or it's a little bit. Or starting thinking about more, more about negative outcomes and and and I or worry. Even just worry can affect right, because when you start worrying you might have unconscious negative thoughts. So definitely I would say those happened and what helped me to move on is to notice those immediately. Because of my psychological training, I was able to know, oh my gosh, this is happening, so okay, let's get out from it. But the hard part is when you start thinking, I would say, during games, that's already a negative thing, because when you play your best you're just in the moment and everything flows, so you don't have too many thoughts.
Speaker 1:I'm a big for myself. In between, Again, it's like I don't compete anymore at a high level. I've been retired from football. For what year? Is it 2025? For about six years now, it's hard to say. But even when I'm like competing recreationally, like I take it serious and I'm a big, like one deep breath and I'm good. I'm just like inhale through the nose, exhale through the belly and I'm out, I'm good.
Speaker 2:Is there a particular breathing routine that you like to teach your athletes or that you subscribe to? I really like deep breathing. It's a four, seven, eight. But also when you're, it's very good to do before your match, because usually players can be over aerosol, so a little bit nervous, too nervous. So that really helps to calm yourself down. Because it's called deep breathing because when you breathe under your your belly and it's not a shallow breathing to your chest, your blood gets more oxygen. So it also helps to release your muscles. So that's why breathing is super important, because when you feel tense with breathing you can release the muscles by having enough oxygen in your blood. So you can do deep breathing before.
Speaker 2:So you hold, you breathe in, counting for four, hold it for seven seconds and breathe out for eight seconds and the breathing has to be longer because that's releasing the tension. But when you're in a game situation, it's more just breathing in and breathing out. So there is no holding. So it's more like circle breathing and another breathing technique it's also very good. It's called box breathing. I'm sure you heard about it, when you have to imagine a box and you breathe in and you hold it and you breathe out and you breathe in again and so you're imagining in a box and it's 4-4-4-4. So that's also very, very helpful for um. So that's also um very, very helpful. But um during in a match situation, um just taking a deep breath and breathing out, um um very helpful, but the breathing out has to be longer. So that's that's in.
Speaker 2:In general, it's important which one worked best for you I I like the deep breathing the deep breathing so when yes, I like the deep breathing because when you, when you're in a tight situation and, um, you, just you, you just want to make sure you're not holding your breath, because that's one of the most common problems when you're holding your breath. So, breathing in under your belly and after breathing out longer, just that quick breathing is super, super helpful.
Speaker 1:How do you teach your athletes to accept outcomes and move on? I think that's one of the hardest skills to learn and master, particularly the higher level of competition you grow. The more you put into your craft, the more you have to lose. And then, when you do lose, it feels like the weight of the world crushes down on you. How do you build that mental stamina or resilience to accept that and move on?
Speaker 2:So winning and losing are part of the game and I also teach athletes that. I mean I know it's very painful, but your biggest teachers are your losses and setbacks. So when it happens you really learn the lesson, so you know what you have to do differently next time and it's a great teacher. But of course, in the moment it hurts so much and every great player has lost it. So I would say, whoever is competing, winning and losing are part of the game. So you just have to learn to deal with that. And that's the beauty of it, like how you mentioned the uncertainty right and how you can grow from it. That's that's, I would say, that's, that's a key takeaway from losses, that how you grow from that experience and reflect on it and also improve the skills. That has to be basically improved. Or also the change, the attitude, mindset, whatever reason basically basically caused um the loss how badly would you beat me in table tennis?
Speaker 2:uh, I'm sure pretty badly. But I don't know your table tennis skills, but in general, if you, if you In general, it's the same as how badly you beat me in football, right. So table tennis I mean, I've been playing for a long time so I would say probably, yeah, you wouldn't have. I would say you wouldn't be able to make a point, but I don't know, I'd rather like an edge or a net or an unforced error. Yeah, I would make a mistake and unforced error, but I'm also not playing that high level anymore. So I also retired in a way.
Speaker 1:That was a test. I wanted to see your confidence level and my follow-up question was going to be do you think I'd score a point? And you answered that for me without me asking. So I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:But yeah, no, I always love to say no, no, you, you, you might be, you might be, you might have a really good serve and uh not that good. You might be able to score I just, I was just testing the your reaction oh no, yeah you.
Speaker 1:I don't know if I'd score a point. I'm not very good. I played once in the last decade or so. I don't know if I'd score a point. I'm not very good. I've played once in the last decade or so. Actually, I played once in the last seven years, so I think you'd have a good chance of skunking me and not letting me score. What is your greatest accomplishment?
Speaker 2:It can be anything I would say the greatest accomplishment is is um one of them. There are a couple of those. One of them is when I basically I was able to get back to table tennis after five years of break and got my green card and I was top 10 in the US. I think that was a big accomplishment. It was also a big accomplishment writing books and also even during the pandemic, and I'm proud of that. But I just love learning and also basically creating educational materials. That's one of my passions. Educational materials, that's one of my passions. And also I also did two master's degrees. So I completed two master's degrees and that was lots of time and effort and dedication, so I would say that as well. And also when I played back in Hungary. I think that was also a big accomplishment winning the European Championship, and I was also top athlete in Europe under age 18. So I think that was also a big accomplishment.
Speaker 1:Incredible. Well, hey, I can't thank you enough, Dora, for coming on today. If people want to reach out to you, if there's anything you have to promote that you're currently working on, please take the next time to tell us how to reach you and what you're working on.
Speaker 2:No, thank you so much. No, thank you so much. But there are going to be future webinars as well that I would like to. I mean, just get more people and athletes know about it. And also, of course, I have my books, so I recommend those highly to check that out. People can check it out on my website and also on amazon. I published a book, um, get your game face on like the pros, and also that's volume two. There is also get your game face on that, volume one and my stories of mental toughness on and off the table. So, um, I highly recommend to check out those books and also I provide individual and team consultations. So if anyone wants to work on their mental game and improve those mental muscles, they can reach me out and I would be more than happy to do that.
Speaker 1:Awesome. Well, thank you so much, dora, I appreciate it. I appreciate you coming on today. Listeners, thank you so much, dora, I appreciate it. I appreciate you coming on today. Listeners, thank you for tuning in Tune in next week. Check us out at athleticfortitudecom. Download the pod. Subscribe to our YouTube channel. Five stars only, baby. See you guys next week. Thanks again, dora.
Speaker 2:Thank you.