Timothy Gallwey Quotes

When we plant a rose seed in the earth, we notice that it is small, but we do not criticize it as “rootless and stemless.” We treat it as a seed, giving it the water and nourishment required of a seed.

One thing that can be said about focus is that it is always here and now — that is, in present time and present space.

Freedom from stress does not necessarily involve giving up anything, but rather being able to let go of anything, when necessary, and know that one will still be all right. It comes from being more independent — not necessarily more solitary, but more reliant on one’s own inner resources for stability.

fully. Still, I found that like most tyrants, Self 1 didn’t like losing control and resisted efforts to minimize his influence.

If a mother identifies with every fall of her child and takes personal pride in its every success, her self-image will be as unstable as her child’s balance. She finds stability when she realizes that she is not her child, and watches it with love and interest — but as a separate being.

If I was feeling frightened playing tennis, I don’t see why I would do it!

Fighting the mind does not work. What works best is learning to focus it.

letting go of judgments does not mean ignoring errors. It simply means seeing events as they are and not adding anything to them.

When the mind is free of any thought or judgment, it is still and acts like a mirror. Then and only then can we know things as they are. AWARENESS

It is Self 1’s mistrust of Self 2 which causes both the interference called “trying too hard” and that of too much self-instruction.

It is said that in breathing man recapitulates the rhythm of the universe. When the mind is fastened to the rhythm of breathing, it tends to become absorbed and calm. Whether on or off the court, I know of no better way to begin to deal with anxiety than to place the mind on one’s breathing process.

thoughts. The concentrated mind has no room for thinking how well the body is doing, much less of the how-to’s of the doing. When a player is in this state, there is little to interfere with the full expression of his potential to perform, learn and enjoy.

I was beginning to learn what all good pros and students of tennis must learn: that images are better than words, showing better than telling, too much instruction worse than none, and that trying often produces negative results. One question perplexed me: What’s wrong with trying? What does it mean to try too hard? PLAYING

key to better tennis — or better anything — lies in improving the relationship between the conscious teller, Self 1, and the natural capabilities of Self 2.

Stability grows as I learn to accept what I cannot control and take control of what I can.