Growth Talk Journal
Mindset
Legend
- player
- coach / parent
- movement path
How it works
Build growth mindset awareness by having players journal one learning and one improvement goal after every practice.
What you need
- tennis racket
- tennis balls
- court
- notebook and pencil
Your focus
Writing reinforces the idea that effort and reflection drive improvement, not fixed talent. Players who identify what they learned (not just what went wrong) develop a more constructive relationship with practice and mistakes. The consistency of journaling after each session builds the habit of metacognitive reflection that elite athletes use throughout their careers.
At the end of each practice, players take 3 minutes to write two things in their journal: (a) one thing I got better at today, and (b) one thing I want to work on next session.
Coach reads the journals weekly (not for grading, for conversation) and responds with one written comment per player.
Monthly, players review their past journals and identify a pattern, what skill has improved the most and why.
Share one journal entry per month with the group (voluntary) to build a team culture around growth.
Helpful cues
- Better at, not just good at
- One thing at a time, progress isn't everything at once
- Your journal is proof that you're growing
Adjust the challenge
Make it easier
Strip it back
Replace writing with a verbal share with the coach at the end of each session.
UpLVL it
Add the next challenge
Add a third journal prompt: one thing I could have done differently in the hardest moment today.No account needed
Build a practice plan
Add drills, keep the plan in this browser, then share a link with your staff or parents.This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.
This library helps you find the right drill. Inside UpLVL the right drill finds the player.After every practice, UpLVL automatically surfaces the drills each player needs to work on most. See it for yourself.