In our last +1, we spent some time with Todd Herman, Batman, Dora the Explorer and YOUR most heroic self. Today we’re going to connect all that goodness to wisdom from the classic peak-performance book The Inner Game of Tennis by Tim Gallwey. Here’s how he puts it: “‘Asking for qualities’ describes the other kind of role-playing. When introducing this idea, I usually say something like this: ‘Imagine that I am the director of a television series. Knowing that you are an actor that plays tennis, I ask if you would like to do a bit part as a top-flight tennis player. I assure you that you needn’t worry about hitting the ball out or into the net because the camera will only be focused on you and will not follow the ball. What I’m mainly interested in is that you adopt professional mannerisms, and that you swing your racket with super self-assurance. Above all, your face must express no self-doubt. You should look as if you are hitting every ball exactly where you want to. Really get into the role, hit as hard as you like and ignore where the ball is actually going.” “Asking for qualities.” That’s one of Gallwey’s three practices for communicating with what he calls Self 2—which is basically your Optimus-best self that innately knows how to crush it if we’d simply get out of our own way. (The other two practices? Letting go of judgments and the art of creating images of the outcomes you want to see.) Today we’re going to walk onto the set of the movie that is our lives. You’re the star. (Go you!) (Well, technically, we’re ALL just bit players in the game of life so perhaps we should adopt that view, eh?) So… What roles are you playing these days? (Perhaps you can use the Big 3 Identities for Energy + Work + Love.) Now… How would you show up in your life if you acted like a top-flight pro in your given field, adopted professional mannerisms and did your thing with super self-assurance—with no doubt and pure confidence? Let’s ACT LIKE THAT. Today. Seriously. How would you walk, talk, breathe and be if you were acting like the best possible version of yourself? Be that. And let’s watch our performance (and enjoyment) soar.
