– Mastering the Game When Your Mind Gets in the Way –

In every human endeavor - including sports - there are two arenas of engagement: the outer and the inner game. The outer game is played on an external arena to overcome external obstacles to reach an external goal. The inner game takes place within the mind of the player and it is the internal battle we play with obstacles that include fear, self-doubt and lapses in focus. The inner game is played to overcome the self-imposed roadblocks that prevent an individual from accessing their full potential. According to Tim Gallwey, best-selling author and creator of “The Inner Game” coaching methodology, “It is impossible to achieve mastery or satisfaction in any endeavor without first developing some degree of mastery of the relatively neglected skills of the inner game.” Golf: The Inner Game airs on WTVP-HD Saturday, August 11 from 6-7:00 p.m. The program will encore Monday, August 13 at 7:00 p.m.

Most of us have experienced days when our self-interference was at a minimum — athletes call this “playing in the zone.” Generally these are the times when our minds are quiet and focused. But more times than we’d like to admit, our minds become filled with self-criticism, hesitation and over-analysis, making our actions awkward, mistimed and ineffective.

Tim Gallwey shows how to successfully combat the inner demons that are obstacles standing in the way of the weekend player who feels stuck in the rough. Offering up proven tips and tricks, Gallway comes to the rescue, getting minds out of the mud and back on the right track. “You’d be surprised,” he comments. “There are more players who have the talent to be the best in the world but they block their ability to become a true winner. To be a winner you’ve got to get out of your own way.”

Winners interfere less with the raw expression of their talent and know how to do what they need to do to win their internal war against nagging fears, doubts, and insecurity. While these are no minor victories, they are achievable for everyone; it just means beating the mind game that stands in your way.

Even the masters of the game, from the venerable Jack Nicklaus to the once wunderkind Tiger Woods, must battle their inner demons to excel in the crucible of competition. Gallwey will provide, via interviews and the demonstrations of specific strategies, how you can improve the concentration and confidence that will keep insecurities from hijacking your best instincts, your score and your enjoyment of the game. Gallwey will also explain why “relaxed concentration is the fundamental skill for improving every aspect of your game.” The program content will include:

The program content will include:

• The humming technique

• Breaking 90 with back-hit stop

• Blind putting

• Overcoming self-doubt

• Relaxed concentration: the master skill

Golf: The Inner Game, designed for the intermediate weekend golfer who is stuck in a rut, will show Gallwey putting these techniques into practice as he works with a mix of both male and female players.

Tim Gallwey attended Harvard University where he majored in English literature and captained the tennis team. He served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and was one of the founders of a liberal arts college in the Midwest. Starting in the mid-1970s, Gallwey produced a series of best-selling books that set forth a new methodology for the development of personal and professional excellence in a variety of fields. For the last twenty years, Gallwey has been introducing “The Inner Game” approach to corporations looking for better ways to manage change. Through lectures, consulting, and seminars, his focus has been directed at three targets: 1) helping all individuals in a company learn how to learn, and think for themselves; 2) helping managers learn how to coach; 3) helping leaders learn to create “learning organizations.” His long-term clients have included AT&T, IBM, Arco, Anheuser Busch, Apple Computer and The Coca-Cola Company. His newest professional interest is helping people who work in teams learn how to work together more effectively.

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