Winning the Inner Game

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Re: Comment

From:
Date: 06 Oct 2006
Time: 16:23:50 -0500
Remote Name: 60.229.62.137

Comments

Thanks for your question, Evan. My habitual reaction to the yips has been to tighten up. I have found this habit hard to break. Tim Gallwey suggests (Inner game of golf, p 51) that it is close to a universal principle that when in a state of doubt human beings tend to tighten instinctively to protect themselves. When I am in a frame of mind to welcome the yips I am accepting how I feel rather than just reacting. I am acknowledging that the physical sensations that I am feeling are a product of my natural system and happening for a reason. If this is happening in anticipation of something I am about to do I will also be noticing what thoughts are passing through my mind and challenging negative thoughts. For example, if there are memories of past difficulties in similar situations, I might suggest to myself that I should consider that it could actually be fun to do this thing this time with the resources I now have available. When I am actually in the midst of speaking my frame of mind is to focus on my immediate goals and accept whatever happens. So, as you suggest, if I yip then it is just a case of “oh well”. When you feel involuntary muscle tightening while you are in the middle of putting a golf ball there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. You just get to have another shot at sinking the ball! Winton


Last changed: 10/22/06