While watching tennis today I remembered I had this question.
One player was 5–1 down in games and she came back to 5–5.
The commentator said that it was one thing to fight back while you are behind but something alltogether different to keep up that fighting spirit to try and take the lead.
Isn’t it possible then to ‘fool’s yourself and pretend that you are still behind, even while you know you are actually 5–5?
And can an athlete who runs 100 meters not ‘pretend’ that the track isn’t. 100 but 105 meters, so he will not stop giving 100% when he comes to 90 meters, but stop giving 100% when he passes the finish line?
I hope this what I wrote is clear.