Meet who's behind BTG Inc.
Amelie Yan
MHS Class of 2025
My Story
I started playing tennis competitively around 7th grade, and it's been a huge part of my life ever since. It's given me valuable connections, lessons, and values that will follow me wherever I go. I've always struggled with the mental side of competition and always felt conflicted over why I've never been able to figure it out. At first, I chalked it up to inexperience and told myself to "trust the process," but before I knew it, years went by and I still panicked in pressure situations. I knew my mind was holding me back and knew that I had to make a change if I wanted to get better.
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In 2023, I went on vacation to Rome and trained some with a local coach. He told me that I needed to learn to let go and trust my game. I think hearing this evaluation from someone who had no idea who I was was the moment I acknowledged the reality of my situation. My dad and I sought out mental coaches, books on mental competition, anything. I even traveled to Marbella, Spain, to work with a renowned mental and physical tennis coach (playing on European clay and being surrounded by the culture was an utterly amazing experience). These experiences taught me valuable lessons---not only for tennis but also for life. I learned the value of belief, self-confidence, and determination. I realized I needed to trust myself and focus on the journey rather than the destination. I was so worried about the future that I became paralyzed by fear, and I was never satisfied with my progress, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.
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After books, coaches, conversations, and a few epiphanies, I slowly began to enjoy the process. I took everything as a learning experience and began to shift my perspective. I told myself that it was already an honor to be competing at the level I was competing at and to value the opportunities I got. This mindset freed me up to have fun while competing, a mindset that I had lost sight of over the years. At the end of the day, I had to remember that there was no point in playing the sport if I wasn't enjoying it.
Another thing that got me through my mental journey was my faith. I recognized that not everything was within my control, allowing me to let go and trust in a greater plan. This mindset shift helped me embrace my competitive experiences and appreciate the opportunities I had, regardless of the outcomes. My faith got me through my lowest times and gave me the belief that I needed to trust myself and keep fighting. Today, I am content and in a good place mentally. While I may not be the greatest player in the world, I’ve learned to truly enjoy competition—an accomplishment in itself. It’s been months since I’ve felt that paralyzing panic on the court, and regaining my self-confidence has had a positive ripple effect in my daily life. I’ve learned to problem-solve and tackle challenges with a new perspective, choosing to enjoy the ride rather than worry about every detail. I won't lie; my perfectionist tendencies have not disappeared, and I still have a lot to work on, but my perspective has changed for the better and I've learned valuable lessons that'll allow me to continue evolving.​
I found that most of my success in finding such peace came from the power of belief. I strongly believe that all humans need something to believe in. Whether that's a divine entity or merely a concept like "everything will work out," everyone needs something to hold onto. For me, it's my faith and the promise of something bigger. A lot of my struggle was due to the fact that I put too much pressure on myself to be in control and figure everything out. I didn't acknowledge that I sometimes had to take a step back and just trust. Once I started believing in myself, my game, and my strength, I began to feel less anxious about every little thing. This, along with my interest in STEM, led me to discover the field of neuroscience. I wanted to understand what exactly happens in the brain when we believe in something and how it dictates our character. I am largely defined by my beliefs and they are reflected in my actions, words, and impressions. I wanted to dissect the concept of belief in order to understand how it helped me relieve my anxiety and transform myself into the player I am today. With this research, I'm not looking for a magical solution that'll solve everyone's issues with mental fortuity in competition. Rather, I'm looking to understand the concept of beliefs in order to gain insight into our minds, which will hopefully bring comfort and reassurance to our lives.
