Vivian Glozman on Mental Resilience: Lessons from a Pickleball Pro

 

Championing Self-Compassion in Sports and Life Amid Rapid Rise and Burnout Risks

As of October 14, 2025, Vivian Glozman, the 25-year-old pickleball sensation ranked as high as No. 7 in the world, continues to captivate with her blend of athletic prowess and introspective wisdom. Fresh from her gold medal at the PPA Australia Open and a season with the Chicago Slice in Major League Pickleball (MLP)—followed by a February trade to the Atlanta Bouncers—Glozman has navigated the sport's explosive growth since turning pro in 2023. In a revealing interview on the "Third Shot Rants" podcast, hosted by Howard Chang and Gina Tsapralis in Chicago, she delves into the psychological challenges of high-level competition. Drawing from her transition from Division I tennis to pickleball stardom, Glozman emphasizes avoiding self-defeating comparisons, preventing burnout, and fostering holistic well-being. Her insights offer a roadmap for athletes and enthusiasts alike, highlighting how mental health underpins sustained success in an addictive, fast-paced sport.

7:31 Avoid comparison, as it steals joy; focus on personal journey.

Vivian Glozman stresses the dangers of comparison in pickleball, where players often fixate on others' advantages, such as height or prior tennis experience, leading to diminished joy and progress. She recounts a clinic where a participant lamented lacking a tennis background, to which she responded, "You can wish all you want, but the reality is you don't." Glozman invokes the quote "comparison is the thief of joy," urging focus on personal journeys since everyone learns at different paces and styles. This mindset, she explains, prevents unnecessary frustration and fosters growth, as dwelling on unchangeable factors like physical attributes—"If I had your height, I'd be number one in the world"—only hinders one's own development.

12:43 Listen to body and mind; rest days crucial to avoid burnout.

Glozman highlights the critical need to avoid burnout by listening to both body and mind, noting pickleball's deceptive ease can lead to overplaying without adequate rest. She advises checking sleep quality when performance falters, saying, "Hey, how was your sleep last night?... I'm seeing that." Emphasizing balance, she warns that the sport's fun nature masks its toll: "Pickleball is dangerous in that aspect cuz it's so fun and it isn't too hard on the body where you think you can keep going and going, but... rest days are so important." Glozman advocates for diverse activities and social circles outside pickleball to prevent getting "sucked into the pickleball circle" and its drama, promoting mental breaks as essential for long-term enjoyment and health.

38:34 Untie identity from sport; balance with social life, hobbies.

In discussing well-being, Glozman urges athletes to untie their identity from sports results, advocating for holistic happiness through diverse pursuits like vlogging, food documentation, and TikTok content creation. She shares her own burnout after a rapid rise: "I was burnt out by the end of my second season... until I was able to take a step back and be like who am I without tennis and then who am I without pickleball." Glozman emphasizes that worth isn't defined by wins or losses—"They just see us for our results... your worth is not tied to the sport"—and encourages breaks and non-sport fulfillment: "Filling your basket or putting your eggs in different baskets is really, really important." This approach, she notes, combats the oversight of mental health in grueling seasons, fostering personal growth and inspiration for others.

1. 38:34 - Mental Health Passion
2. 38:39 - Athlete Focus
3. 38:46 - Identity Tie Risk
4. 38:53 - College/ Lifelong Athletes
5. 39:00 - Balance Advocacy
6. 39:07 - Outside Social Life
7. 39:14 - Results Perception
8. 39:20 - Worth Tying Warning
9. 39:26 - Sooner Realization
10. 39:34 - Seasonal Oversight
11. 39:42 - Mental Health Past
12. 39:50 - Break Okay
13. 39:57 - Diversify Baskets
14. 40:03 - Rapid Rise Burnout
15. 40:11 - Second Season End
16. 40:16 - Self-Questioning
17. 40:22 - Without Sport Identity
18. 40:29 - Proud to say I'm not a doom scroller
19. 40:37 - Post vs. Consume
20. 40:43 - Fun Inspirations
21. 40:48 - Growth Benefits
22. 41:02 - Amazing Perspective
23. 41:09 - Assumed Easy Life
24. 41:16 - Shared Concerns
25. 41:22 - Whole Identity
26. 41:29 - Message Love
27. 41:34 - Good?

Summary

Vivian Glozman's interview reveals a profound understanding of mental resilience in pickleball, shaped by her tennis-to-prodigy arc and the sport's demands as of October 2025. Central themes include rejecting comparisons to preserve joy, as they steal focus from individual progress; preventing burnout through attuned rest for body and mind, countering the game's addictive pull; and achieving holistic well-being by diversifying identity beyond athletic outcomes, using hobbies to sustain happiness. Quotes like "comparison is the thief of joy" and reflections on her exhaustion underscore the psychological pitfalls of elite competition, while her advice—embrace unique paths, prioritize breaks, and build multifaceted lives—serves as a guide for young players and veterans. Ultimately, Glozman's message promotes self-compassion, warning that tying worth to results risks long-term dissatisfaction, and advocates balance for enduring fulfillment in sports and beyond.

Mindful Paddle: Vivian's Balance Beat

Yo, young dinkers, grab your gear, hear Vivian Glozman's 
wise tale,
From tennis ace to pickle grace, no room for fail.
Avoid the trap of wishin' for my height or tennis past,
"Comparison is the thief of joy," create a path that will last.
She coached a kid who sighed, "Wish I had that swing,"
But Vivian said, "Wish all you want, reality's the thing."
Pace your play, different ways, everyone's unique,
Focus on you, breakthrough true, that's the peak!

(Chorus)
Swing easy, breathe deep, balance body and mind,
Don't be a doom scroller, touch grass, leave stress behind!
Rest days call, stand tall, worth ain't in the score,
Holistic fun, under sun, pickleball's core!

(Verse 2)
Listen to your bod, when it's screamin' for a break,
Mind needs chill, overdrill can be a mistake.
"Sleep not good? Performance hood?" Viv checks the signs,
Fun sport's lure, but endure with balance lines.
Step outside the circle wide, dodge the drama scene,
Social life, no strife, keep your spirit clean.
She burned out fast, second season blast, took a pause,
"Who am I without the try?" Found her cause.

(Bridge)
Untie your worth from every match's birth,
Results don't define, shine in your own earth.
Vlog and post, foodie boast, eggs in baskets spread,
Breaks are key, set you free, happiness ahead!

(Verse 3)
Pro at twenty-three, alive with gold in Aussie land,
But mental health's the wealth, take a stand.
Diversify, reach the sky, hobbies light the way,
TikTok fun, laugh, laugh, laugh, brighten every day.
Young players heed, succeed with inner peace,
No back-and-forth regret, let the worries cease.
Glozman's advice, slice it nice, grow beyond the court,
Happy hearts, fresh starts, that's the sport!

(Chorus)
Swing easy, breathe deep, balance body and mind,
Don't be a doom scroller, touch grass, leave stress behind!
Rest days call, stand tall, worth ain't in the score,
Holistic fun, under sun, pickleball's core!

(Word count: 318)

Instrumentation and Vocal Arrangement Guidance:

• Verses: Acoustic guitar strumming folk rhythms with upright bass for jazzy undertone; light brushed snare keeps 90's rap pulse. Female solo vocal in narrative rap, energetic and guiding.
• Bridge: Add soft sax or clarinet for jazz melody over guitar and bass; slow snare brush for reflective swing. Male-female duet vocals, harmonious whispers building insight.
• Chorus: Full ensemble with acoustic guitar, upright bass, brushed snare, and piano accents for swingy lift; add finger snaps for fun. 3-part harmony rap-chant, youthful group vocals for unity.

harmonic female vocals, folk, 90's rap, jazz, Acoustic guitar finger picking, flute, soft saxophone, slow brushed snare with a slight swing, Congo drum beat, 

How the Song Was Created

"Mindful Paddle: Vivian's Balance Beat" was designed as an educational anthem, drawing from Glozman's interview to inspire young pickleball players with themes of mental resilience. The form uses a verse-chorus-verse-bridge-verse-chorus structure for engaging progression: Verses narrate her story and advice, building chronologically; the bridge offers introspection; choruses repeat hooks like "Swing easy, breathe deep" for catchy reinforcement. Rhyme scheme employs AABB in verses for smooth rap flow, mirroring 90's hip-hop storytelling, with internal rhymes adding folk poetic rhythm; hooks emphasize positivity to hook kids on self-care messages.

Instrumentation reflects the article's uplifting, reflective tone: Acoustic guitar and upright bass evoke 1960s folk simplicity, symbolizing personal growth and balance, while brushed snare infuses 90's rap groove for fun, energetic education—aligning with pickleball's accessible joy. Light jazz via sax in the bridge underscores mental depth, swinging like strategic gameplay.

Arrangement choices feature female solo in verses for direct, mentor-like delivery, shifting to duet in the bridge for layered emotional nuance on identity and burnout; choruses use 3-part harmony to foster communal feel, inviting young audiences to chant along. Lyrics integrate concrete details—comparison quote, burnout after second season, diversifying with vlogs and food accounts, rest importance—to educate on avoiding ego traps and holistic happiness, tailored for youth by framing as empowering adventures, touch grass. This readable blend makes the song a tool for building resilience through play.

(Word count: 268)