The inner game

Wimbledon. It heralds the start of summer (two weeks of rain) and all that is best about Britain and sport. Just the word conjures up images of strawberries and cream and genteel living – not that there is anything genteel about tennis these days; top players are elite athletes serving at speeds of over 140mps.

So what makes a 'champion' rather than just a great tennis player? Why is it that some players can pick-up their game when they need to? An answer may be found in 'The inner game', a coaching methodology created by Tim Gallwey in the 1970s that looks at the mental side of peak performance and though first devised for tennis players has since been applied to the fields of music, education and the workplace as well as other sports.

 ‘The inner game’ is based on the principal that the individual is playing two separate games – the outer game which takes place against an opponent and the inner game which is played in their own mind and addresses self-imposed obstacles such as self-doubt and anxiety which prevent the individual from realising their full potential. I tried it years ago on my tennis (by focussing on the ball and when it bounced saying ‘bounce’ loudly in my head) and the improvement was massive. I also use the 'GROW' model which was developed out of this theory in the workplace with great success. So if there is an area in your life you would like to improve, check it out….