Traditional and simple approach to change habits

‘The Inner Game of Tennis’ by W. Timothy Gallwey is considered to be one of the finest books written on achieving peak performance. Bill Gates has been a strong proponent of this book - read his notes here. In this book, Gallwey focuses on what he calls ‘Self 2’-wisdom of the body. It is often interfered by ‘Self 1’ - conscious ego-mind that keeps passing on instructions to Self 2 on how something has to be done.

How do we ensure that the Self 1 is kept at bay, mainly during the times of peak performance (that deadline day, that time you need to do a pitch etc.) by changing habits?

Gallwey suggests a traditional and simple approach to change habits:

1. Nonjudgemental Observation

   1. It is good to always pick the stroke (in non-tennis world: habit/skill) you most want to change rather than the one that is most ready for change

   2. Observe your serve freshly, as it is now. Just observe, get interested in it and experience it to the fullest possible

   3. Aware ness what is, without judgement, is relaxing and is the best precondition for change

   4. If a change occurs unconsciously during this step, let it flow

2. Picture the Desired Outcome

   1. Don’t overanalyze; just absorb what you see from someone who does it best (your boss/ co worker/ role model)

   2. Visualize yourself reaching that state

3. Trust Self 2

   1. Return to observing your strokes/skills. You will observe some change naturally happening - because you are now consciously thinking about it

   2. Ask yourself what is stopping you from achieving the desired outcome ; talk to professional if need be

   3. Reimagine yourself reaching the desired state - now with additional inputs

   4. Let it be flexible. Encourage it. Discover for yourself what it does mean

   5. Give your body the freedom to perform the action. Trust it.

4. Nonjudgemental Observation of Change and Results

   1. The more you can bring yourself to put trust in the natural process that is at work, the less you will tend to fall into the usual interfering patterns

   2. One change leads to other. One step towards awareness leads to visualization and it in turn leads to awareness and eventually becomes part of muscle

Just be natural !

Video link of Gallwey demonstrating the idea:

Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash