Timothy Gallwey Quotes

the inner game. This is the game that takes place in the mind of the player, and it is played against such obstacles as lapses in concentration, nervousness, self-doubt and self-condemnation. In short, it is played to overcome all habits of mind which inhibit excellence in performance.

The awareness instruction, on the other hand, asks only one thing of the conscious mind: Pay attention to what is happening. There is no doubt because there is no right way or wrong way, and there is no fear of failure because there is no externally implied standard for success. Yet the body learns because it is now free to focus on what feels good and to see for itself what works.

Negative judgment of the results of one’s efforts tends to make one try even harder; positive evaluation tends to make one try to force oneself into the same pattern on the next shot. Both positive and negative thinking inhibit spontaneity. THE

if we let ourselves lose touch with our ability to feel our actions, by relying too heavily on instructions, we can seriously compromise our access to our natural learning processes and our potential to perform.

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

Pogo was right when he proclaimed, “I have met the enemy, and it is us.

Support and encourage your Self 2, knowing that the stronger it gets, the more it will take to throw you off balance, and the quicker you can regain your balance.

the 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.

Like a good gardener who knows when the soil needs alkali and when acid, the competent tennis pro should be able to help the development of your game.

The focused mind only picks up on those aspects of a situation that are needed to accomplish the task at hand.

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

Letting it happen is not making it happen. It is not trying hard.

Somehow the anger had taken me beyond my own preconceived limitations; it took me beyond caution.

These people will try hard to win the respect they lack, and the winners will try equally hard not to lose the respect they have won. In this light, it is not difficult to see why playing well has come to mean so much to us.

Freedom from stress happens in proportion to our responsiveness to our true selves, allowing every moment possible to be an opportunity for Self 2 to be what it is and enjoy the process. As far as I can see, this is a lifelong learning process.