The Inner Game

Two weeks from tomorrow, some of my very good friends will take to the platform for the biggest contest of their lives. They will battle each other and the many physical aches and pains that have accumulated over the last year. But for many, the biggest battle will be with their mind. Can I do it? What if I don't do it? What will people think of me? What will I think of myself.

Playing the "inner game" is learning how to overcome these mental obstacles. It is learning how to be in the moment and let the body do what it has been trained to do. You have to get out of your own way to succeed.

UK parkour specialist Blaine Hinkley has a great blog post about the inner game and his experience with it during his training. He also refers to the book that inspired his exploration of this aspect of preparation and training, Timothy Gallwey's Introduction to the Inner Game of Tennis.

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