I watched a one-minute lesson on the Tennis Channel last night delivered by a sports psychologist. He was pointing out the importance of not letting negative emotions take over one’s thinking while playing tennis.

As he noted, if you hit a shot poorly and react with, “Oh bummers, what a disappointment,” your attitude sags, your body sags, and your next shot suffers even more. How well you think determines how well you play.

He further explained that the polished pros don’t let negative attitudes take over their thinking. They stay positive, look for the improvement to make and stay up.

It was a valuable reminder that thinking governs our game. Our game does not govern our thinking.

I applied the direction to the larger lessons of life.

What happens around us does not determine our state of mind. What we choose to believe and accept determines our perspective.

For instance, if a rude driver cuts in front of us on the highway, we are not obligated to get upset. That’s a choice we make. If an employee fails to follow through with an assignment, we are not required to fuss and fume all day. That’s a choice we make. If we run short of funds before our next paycheck arrives, we are not under pressure to panic. That’s a choice we make.

Likely, we all have opportunities to make better choices!

What the material senses see and hear does not determine what we think. What we think determines how we react and respond to what we see and hear.

When our thinking is informed by spiritual truth, we make better choices.