The Inner Game

Over 40 years ago, John McEnroe became angry with an official on Centre Court at Wimbledon — uttering his famous line: “You cannot be serious.” 

“You cannot be serious!” continues to be recognized way beyond the confines of tennis as an expression of outrage at a perceived injustice. McEnroe’s loud frustration directed at umpire Edward James for calling a perfect serve out was his way of dealing with his two inner personalities. 

McEnroe isn’t the only tennis player who can be heard telling themselves to do better, to focus, concentrate, get their game into the right gear. It forces us to wonder, who is the player talking to?  Themselves? If they are talking to themselves this means there isn’t only one person there, but two.

There is the “I,” the person that complains and gives the order, and the “myself,” the person that executes the order – or fails to do so. McEnroe wasn’t yelling at James as much as he was yelling at himself. For McEnroe, the conscious mind was yelling the unconscious mind, to perform better. We all do this, we all talk to ourselves and when we do, we are not being kind. 

Often the relationship from our internal conversations is a bad one. One part of our brain is directing us on what to do, the other part is the doing. When we don’t perform well — we start this internal conflict, applying pressure to concentrate when studies have shown, the best way to concentrate is to not think of actively concentrating. If one side of the brain is constantly interrupting the other, we prevent ourselves from doing our best work. 

In his book, "The Inner Game of Tennis,” author Timothy Gallwey explains winning tennis matches at the highest level requires winning at two games, the inner and the outer. Only when the player frees himself from the need to win can he start playing better – only then can he go beyond the limits of the ego. Competition does not become something to win, but an obstacle to overcome to maximize one’s abilities, potential and self-awareness.

The player that understands the Inner Game can train himself to concentrate to play better, instead of training his serve. He can use tennis as a means of concentration instead of learning concentration to learn tennis.

And this strategy also applies to human activity. 

Following these three steps is a start for us to self-correct the inner voice which prevents us from maximizing our talents. 

1. The Art of Quieting the Mind

Those who succeed are the ones that can remain calm in any situation.

People freak out due to three types of events:

·Regrets about past events

· Fear about the future

· Dislike of a present event

2. Concentration and Higher Consciousness

You have to become aware of things as they are.

The past and future collapse when you seek to understand the present (one could go further and say they do not exist).

3. The Goal of the Inner Game: The Discovery of Self 3

What do you really want to do?

It’s only when you find something that you love that you can truly concentrate.

The most critical skills you’ll need to reach it will be your sincerity and determination.

McEnroe did become serious and won all four Grand Slam events, and 81.75 of his matches.