Reading Timothy Gallwey’s ‘Inner Game of Tennis‘, again… Not to pick up the racquet 🙂 But to facilitate next module at Chennai! I wish had read it in school, when I started playing basketball!
I started reading another book, ESPNcricinfo’s Sachin Tendulkar! While the former is on Kindle, latter is a collector’s item with photographs, so a hardbound copy (not even a frugal, paper-back!) Waiting for Sachin’s official autobiography!
Gallwey is a must read for all aspiring coaches (practicing coaches would have surely read!). Also, leaders who want to enhance coaching skills. And that would mean any field – corporate, sports, arts, home, community, et al.
For the focus is not on the ‘trophy’, but success, off court as well. The focus is on ‘relaxed concentration, above all other skills’.
Peak performance in the chosen field never comes when we are thinking about it. Success borne out of ‘not trying too hard’.
Need not be learnt, for we already know it’. We just need to unlearn a few habits that interfere with it!! To explore the limitless potential within human body is quest of inner game.
Are we ready to recognize it, accept it and take responsibility for it….? The ‘Unlimited’ potential, within each one of us?! To be Regal!
Spontaneous performance, from unconscious mind. Unconscious Competence, if I may add!
How powerful, beautiful!
Sachin Tendulkar by ESPNcricinfo:
Reading the intro by Sambit Bal, editor-in-chief of ESPNcricifo and an article by another legend, Rahul Dravid, gave some interesting perspectives of Sachin.
Sambit rightly points out ‘heroes are central to the sporting experience’. He quotes late Peter Roebuck, ‘ a player of such uncommon gifts and high profile had so few inner demons to conquer’.
My immediate thought was to check from Sachin picked that up; was it from Gallwey?:) I heard a podcast by a coach who works in the space of public (motivational!) speaking. What he highlighted was demonstrated by Sachin in his farewell speech.
Again, how did he deliver such a powerful 20minute TED-type talk ?! (And Sachin was never known for his oratory skills!)
As Sambit rightly points out, ‘words came from within’. For the speech contained his signature qualities: humility, grace, simplicity & composure’!
Of course, ‘talking to the wicket’, was perhaps at high-alpha state or theta-state?!
Rahul says Sachin was ‘not at his best when he premeditated his shots’! Also, a lot of his game depended on what made him ‘feel comfortable’! Also he did not like the routine ‘good luck’, for as Rahul points out, Sachin ‘didn’t need much luck’!
God helps those who help themselves, and that includes ‘God of Cricket’!