A Coach's Diary

Ever feel like your biggest opponent is the voice inside your own head? In The Inner Game of Tennis , Timothy Gallwey introduces a game-changing concept: you have two distinct selves. Self 1 (The Critic): This is your conscious mind. It loves to judge, micro-manage, worry, and give endless instructions. It’s the voice that says, "Don't mess this up." Self 2 (The Doer): This is your unconscious mind. It represents your vast, natural potential, your body’s inherent intelligence, and your capability to learn and execute effortlessly. Gallwey’s core formula is simple yet profound: Performance = Potential - Interference Most of us try to improve performance by adding more information, but Gallwey argues the real breakthrough happens when we reduce interference — specifically, the judgment and anxiety of Self 1. This week, instead of overthinking everything, practice removing all distractions by  quieting your mind. Simply pause when you feel overwhelmed, take a deep breath, ...

I am currently in the 3rd chapter of The Inner Game of Tennis , a book that teaches how to play and live in 'The Zone.'  Many great coaches like Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks praise this book, and some coaches like Steve Kerr read it at the start of each new season. 'The Zone' is the feeling that athletes get when they're are performing at their best.  In the book author W. Timothy Gallwey calls it 'Peak Performance,' and he writes that Peak Performance comes from a quiet and focused mind that just performs and doesn't overthink. Overthinking gets in your body's way when it is trying to perform.  Practice, practice, practice, but when it is time to play, trust your body to do what it needs to do and get your mind and your negative talk out of the way. Another thing that gets in the way of Peak Performance is the voices in our heads.  What we think and tell ourselves plays a big part in how we play.  The ultimate goal is to play comp...