The Inner Game of Tennis — My Take on W. Timothy Gallwey book

This W. Timothy Gallwey book aims to guide you in setting your mind to reach the peak of your performance. I particularly enjoyed reading it since I’ve been playing tennis for more than five years - still suck at it! I was in awe because I could relate many of the attitudes that held my tennis back to the book’s passages. While the book is based on performance in tennis, its principles apply across many domains, I think. Besides, I discovered the book on the recommended reading list of an asset management company. Indeed, according to professionals, investing demands an even higher level of mental discipline. Have you ever wondered why you fail to execute a particular move in a sport even though you genuinely master it? Have you ever caught yourself saying, “It’s not that I don’t know what to do, it’s that I don’t do what I know”? If the answer to those questions is “no,” then don’t waste your time reading this article or the book. Taking tennis as an example, the book assumes that the gap between what we’ve learned, and proper execution is our inner desire to control the action instead of simply letting the shot or stroke happen. But how?

Understanding the Gap Between Knowledge and Execution

The book begins by showing the flaws in common tennis lessons and explains, with practical examples, why tennis is said to be more of a mental game — something you’ll understand even if you’ve never held a racket. It continues by introducing the main characters of the book: Self 1 and Self 2 — the two “selves” whose relationship determines the level at which we perform in any competitive discipline, whether sports, video games... Afterwards, Timothy Gallwey shows how to practically manage the natural impulses of both selves — in our mind — as well as the relationship they have. Finally, the author presents a philosophical view of competition that will likely change your perspective and push your performance toward its peak.

I’ll do my best to faithfully summarize the main ideas of the book, but I encourage you to read it — nothing replaces the anecdotes, experience, and writing quality contained in this work. With the scenery set, let me briefly share the path to the peak of performance according to Timothy Gallwey.

Identifying the Two People in Your Mind

Most competitors talk to themselves on the battlefield, whether it’s a pitch, a court, or a financial market. When asked “to whom,” there is always an “I” talking to “myself.” Gallwey names them Self 1 and Self 2. If you pay attention to the moments this happens to you, it often feels as if Self 1 is convinced that your body — Self 2 — is too “stupid” to execute the moves it was instructed to perform. In reality, the opposite is true. Your body, with its muscle memory, is more competent at determining and executing the right moves. It is the interference of your desire to control that produces tension and internal conflict. This is why you’ve likely experienced the sudden end of a winning streak the moment you tried to rationalize the process behind it. As you’ll later learn, the key was simply to let it be. Gallwey invites us to notice a common expression used when athletes play at their best: “He is out of his mind.” But can we purposefully enter such a state? You will be able to answer that by the end of this article, but for now we can assume that better tennis — or better performance at anything — lies on improving the relationship between the conscious teller, Self 1, and the natural capabilities of Self 2.

Quieting Self 1 and Trusting Self 2

In other words, quieting your inclination to exert control. You can appreciate the benefits of not having your controlling tendencies involved in decision-making when actions must be taken in the blink of an eye — for example, when two tennis players are at the net or when a goalkeeper defends against a close-range shot. In those moments, your mind stands aside, watching your body perform. Can we purposefully enter that mode? According to Gallwey, we can — through three types of actions.

1. Letting Go of Judgments and Becoming Aware of What Is

Judgment here means assigning a positive or negative value to an event. It can take many forms:

• facial expressions like a frown or a big smile

• gestures like celebration or disgust

• words like cursing or verbally congratulating yourself

These reactions hold you back because they trigger thinking, analysis, and eventually overgeneralization. If you blame yourself for missing a backhand because you “didn’t prepare early,” on the next one you will be too focused on preparing early — which might make you neglect your footwork. On the other hand, celebrating a good shot forces you to consciously repeat what you think caused it. Again, you might become so focused on one detail that you miss others that matter more.

What about positive thinking? Gallwey advises avoiding that too. Compliments and encouragement are criticism in disguise — they create subtle pressure to please others.

2. Discovering the Natural Learning Process

Gallwey believes the best way for Self 2 to learn is to give it a clear image of what you want and shift your attention from means to ends. If you hit a good one, picture it again in your mind. To Timothy Gallwey, when the mind is still, it acts like a mirror.

3. Focusing Your Mind

The trick is to assign the mind another task to focus on — filling it through four of our senses:

• watching the seam of the ball

• listening to the sound

• feeling your racket

• breathing consciously, paying attention to the air flowing through your mouth and nose.

The last point has been the one working for me and the result is spectacular. Of course, that depends on your initial level.

Changing Your Conception of Competition and Winning

For Gallwey, the inner game of tennis does not start when you step onto the court. He suggests that your conception of performance and winning can undermine your ability to play at your best.

“Many start tennis as a weekend sport… but they end up setting impossible standards of excellence for themselves.” He reminds us that we are who we are, not how well we happen to perform at any given moment. Competition should not be seen as a means to be more or less than someone else.Rather, the opponent helps us become better by creating obstacles. From that standpoint, no one is truly defeated, because the process becomes more rewarding than the outcome. Hmmm! makes sense buuut, isn't that loser excuses? I'm kidding ;).

This conception of competion got Timothy Gallwey to shift his mindset from wanting to beat everyone to winning the inner game. He ended up winning unintentionally, simply because his mind and body were focused — allowing him to quiet Self 1 and trust Self 2.

Read the book, give a try to the tip from the book and make yourself an opinion on what works or not!