Quotes from W. Timothy Gallwey

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. The

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.

Letting go of judgments, the art of creating images and "letting it happen" are three of the basic skills involved in the Inner Game.

Forget should's and experience is.

Attention is focused consciousness, and consciousness is that power of knowing.

One caution about "the zone": it cannot be controlled by Self 1. I have seen many articles that claim to provide a technique for "playing in the zone every time." Forget it! This is a setup. It's an age-old trap.

He aims at the kind of spontaneous performance which occurs only when the mind is calm and seems at one with the body, which finds its own surprising ways to surpass its own limits again and again. Moreover, while overcoming the common hang-ups of competition, the player of the inner game uncovers a will to win which unlocks all his energy and which is never discouraged by losing.

Relaxed concentration is the supreme art because no art can be achieved without it, while with it, much can be achieved. One cannot reach the limit of one's potential in tennis or any endeavor without learning it; what is even more compelling is that tennis can be a marvelous medium through which skill in focus of mind can be developed. By learning to focus while playing tennis, one develops a skill that can heighten performance in every other aspect of life.

I have found that when players break their habitual patterns, they can greatly extend the limits of their own style and explore subdued aspects of their personality.

Soy mi peor enemigo; normalmente soy yo el que me derroto a mí mismo.

As one achieves focus, the mind quiets. As the mind is kept in the present, it becomes calm. Focus means keeping the mind now and here.

If you are in any doubt, ask the pro to show you the motion, not tell you about it.

Natural focus occurs when the mind is interested. When this occurs, the mind is drawn irresistibly toward the object (or subject) of interest. It is effortless and relaxed, not tense and overly controlled.

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

Only then does he have the chance to go beyond the limitations inherent in the various ego trips of Self 1 and to reach a new awareness of his true potential. Competition then becomes an interesting device in which each player, by making his maximum effort to win, gives the other the opportunity he desires to reach new levels of self-awareness.

Getting the clearest possible image of your desired outcomes is a most useful method for communicating with 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.

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

Alertness is a measure of how many nows you are alert to in a given period. The result is simple: you become more aware of what is going on as you learn to keep your attention in the now.

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.

Winning is overcoming obstacles to reach a goal, but the value in winning is only as great as the value of the goal reached. Reaching the goal itself may not be as valuable as the experience that can come in making a supreme effort to overcome the obstacles involved. The process can be more rewarding than the victory itself.

Between the idea / And the reality / Between the motion / And the act / Falls the Shadow.")

Competition then becomes an interesting device in which each player, by making his maximum effort to win, gives the other the opportunity he desires to reach new levels of self-awareness.

The arrow is off the string but does not fly straight to the target, nor does the target stand where it is. Calculation, which is miscalculation, sets in….