The Inner Game

• Every performance has an outer game and an inner game
• Your greatest opponent is often your own mind
• Peak performance comes from relaxed concentration, not trying harder
• The goal is to reduce mental interference

Awareness

• Observe without judgment
• Judgment creates tension and disrupts performance
• Even positive judgment reinforces the habit of evaluation
• Let experience be your teacher

Natural Learning

• Trust the body’s innate ability to learn
• Don’t force it — let it happen
• Learn through images and feel, not analysis
• Focus on the desired outcome, not mechanics
• New habits are easier to build than old ones are to break

Relaxed Concentration

• Quiet the mind with a simple point of focus
• Notice subtle sights, sounds, and sensations
• Anxiety comes from dwelling on the past or future
• The moments between actions are often the most important
• Focus on the game, not protecting the ego