W. Timothy Gallwey

Concentrates upon overcoming mental attitudes that adversely affect tennis performance, including learning to relax, effectively concentrating, and discarding bad habits

The Inner Game of Tennis

Roel Smelt

There are several key principles and techniques that are outlined in The Inner Game of Tennis for improving performance and overcoming mental barriers. These include:

• Quieting the "self 1": This involves learning to quiet the critical, judgmental voice in our heads that can distract us and cause us to make mistakes.

• Focusing on the present moment: Rather than dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about the future, the book emphasizes the importance of staying present and focused on the task at hand.

• Letting go of the ego: The book encourages athletes to let go of their ego and not worry about winning or losing, but rather focus on their own personal growth and development.

• Relaxation: The Inner Game of Tennis emphasizes the importance of relaxation in allowing the body and mind to perform at their best.

• Concentration: The book also discusses techniques for improving concentration, such as focusing on a specific point or object and blocking out distractions.

• Trusting the body's natural ability: The book encourages athletes to trust in their body's natural ability and to let go of the need to control every aspect of their performance.

Overall, the goal of these principles and techniques is to help athletes overcome mental barriers and perform at their best by focusing on the present moment, quieting the critical voice in their heads, and trusting in their own natural abilities.

Deep and wise. Discovered on his own, but similar to the wisdom found in spiritual practices like Buddhism. 

Dana Kraft

Excellent book even though I don't play tennis. The approach seems intuitive but much easier said than done. The hard part seems to be the "nonjudgmental observing" of yourself or others. I wish I could be more detached from my own observations of myself in certain areas. I like how he explained our need to trust our own ability to learn and to embrace the learning process without judgment by comparing it with how we teach kids to do new things. When a baby is learning to walk, we don't get mad at them if they fall, and they don't get mad at themselves either. At some point in our lives, we lose that childlike approach through some combination of our own thoughts and our interaction with the world around us. 

This also made me think about performance improvement at work and the drive to constantly measure performance. There's a difference between observing performance and judging it. I know I'm guilty of judging the performance of others and simply observing the performance of myself sometimes. As a manager, it can be difficult to know when to judge that an employee will not be able to learn important skills, especially if he/she is trying to do so.

Favorite quote: ' A very wise person once told me, "When it comes to oversoming obstacles, there are three kinds of people. The first kind sees most obstacles as insurmountable and walks away. The second kind sees an obstacle and says I can oversome it, and starts to dig under, climb over, or blast through it. The third type of person, before deciding to oversome the obstacle, tries to find a viewpoint where what is on the other side of the obstacle can be seen. Then, only if the reward is worth the effort, does he attempt to oversome the obstacle."'

I read this book after reading a book about mindfulness and it's basically the same thing. In a good way.

Vojtech

Nish Bhat

This is one of the most insight-dense books I've read.

Steven Ovadia

I read this because I heard a lot of NBA coaches recommend it and I was curious what it's about. It's an interesting way to think about performance -- that your body knows what to do and our conscious mind often disrupts this. It applies not just to tennis and basketball, but also art and music. It's a lot of interesting ideas to consider and worth a read.

Alexandra P

I got a lot more out of this book with a second read through whilst highlighting. It’s an amazing book and helped me make sense of many of things I experience as an athlete. I’d recommend this book to anyone but especially other people playing sports or learning new skills as it applies to so much more than just tennis. I imagine myself coming back to this book many times during my life.

Barry Green

The bestselling guide to improving musical performance The Inner Game of Music is the battle that all musicians have to fight against elusive opponents such as nervousness, self-doubt and fear of failure. Using the world-famous Inner Game principles, developed by bestselling author Timothy Gallwey, acclaimed musician Barry Green explains the basic principles of 'natural learning' and shows how you can apply them to reach a new level of musical application and performance. In precise, easy to understand language, Green and Gallwey explain how natural skills - such as awareness, trust and willpower - can be nurtured and enhanced. Through a series of tailored exercises The Inner Game of Music demonstrates the ways in which musicians can achieve exact intonations, artistic phrasing and improved technique. There are also chapters on ensemble playing, improvisation, composition and creativity, as well as listening skills - an essential part of the Inner Game. Following a methodology with a proven track record for generations of aspiring and professional musicians, The Inner Game of Music is invaluable to anyone seriously interested in music, and is guaranteed to deliver positive results whether you are a student, teacher, performer, or simply an appreciative listener.

The Inner Game of Music

Andrew Molina

Doesn't translate into a book. I'm sure these workshops would be awesome as a musician, but I found reading through this frustrating and disconnecting because it assumes a certain level and type of musician or musical student. I think it would've worked better as a workbook and if it adjusted exercises for different levels/types of students, but that would've made for a way larger project and why the format for this sort of learning feels tied to an in-person, interactive experience and not text in a book.

David T Phung

Rina

W Timothy Gallwey

Improve your game and discover your true potential by increasing your concentration, willpower and confidence. Described by Billie Jean King as her 'tennis bible', Timothy Gallwey's multi-million bestseller, including an introduction from acclaimed sports psychologist Geoff Beattie, has been a phenomenon for players of all abilities since it was first published in 1972. Instead of concentrating on how to improve your technique, it starts from the understanding that 'every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game'. The former is played against opponents on the court, but the latter is a battle within ourselves as we try and overcome self-doubt and anxiety. It is often won or lost before a ball has been hit. Gallwey's revolutionary approach, built on a foundation of Zen thinking and humanistic psychology, will teach you how to develop your concentration, work on your gamesmanship and help you break bad habits. You will also learn how to trust yourself on the court and how to maintain clarity of mind throughout the match, giving you a clear psychological advantage over your opponent. Whether you are an amateur or a pro, The Inner Game of Tennis is essential reading for overcoming the self-doubt, nervousness, and lapses of concentration that can keep a player from winning. It is guaranteed to change the way you play tennis forever.

The Ultimate Guide to the Mental Side of Peak Performance

Beecher Halladay

Mark Porter-Smith

Rafael Garcia

Concentrates upon overcoming mental attitudes that adversely affect tennis performance learning to relax, effectively concentrate, and discard bad habits

The Inner Game of Tennis

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