After a delicious and unique meal at one of my wife’s favorite college restaurants, we walked to the parking lot and hopped in the car. But we couldn’t get out of there; there was an 18-wheeler beer delivery truck parked at the entrance.

"No worries," we said. "He’ll be out in a bit, just doing his job."

The guy completed his delivery, went back to the truck, and prepared to back up. Just as he started moving in reverse out of the parking lot and into the street, cars from the street were trying to enter the parking lot. So he had to stop and wait for the cars to move over.

And it wasn’t their fault; they were confused as to what to do to get to the parking lot. There was only one entrance.

So we just sat there watching the truck driver getting impatient and complaining about the cars that were blocking his path. When he finally had a clear path to the street, he was so angry and frustrated that he couldn’t get out.

He kept making mistakes. Either turning the wheel too much or too little. He almost hit a parked car on the street. He was hitting the branches of a tree. He would pull forward, and then rapidly back; he was visibly angry, making sudden movements at the steering wheel.

Here’s a guy that maneuvers out of tight places every day, multiple times a day. I am certain he is good at it and never struggles this long. But he allowed his anger to consume him to the point that he wasn’t thinking clearly, and his perception of the tight space wasn’t right.

He kept messing it up, and by doing that, he got angrier and then messed it up again and that made him angrier. A cycle that perpetuated itself.

I remember in elementary school, when my dad would be training me to play tennis, he would always say: “El que se enoja pierde.” Which translates to: “The one who gets angry loses.”

When playing tennis, if you begin to make mistakes and allow frustration to take hold, it can create a negative cycle where your errors compound. If you let anger affect your mindset, it becomes increasingly difficult to focus and correct your performance.

You make a mistake, and as a result, you become angry. Then, that anger leads you to make more mistakes, which in turn intensifies your anger. This cycle continues to repeat itself.

Getting angry clouds your judgment. It is true in tennis. It is true in every sport. It is true at work. It is true when you drive. It is true in life.

In stressful situations or when making mistakes, keep your composure and remain calm. Take a moment to collect yourself. Allow your mind to settle. Focus on your breathing. Inhale deeply and exhale slowly. With each breath, release any tension or stress that may be weighing you down.