Tennis Improvement Memo 154. The Reason for Being in Top Form is a "Zen Riddle"

▶Tennis is something you "can do"

I am sure everyone has had the experience at least once or twice of being able to play in top form without thinking about anything.

Since you were able to do it once or twice, it means you "can do it".

That is why you cannot quit tennis.

And many players look back on their top-form play and think about the "reason" why they were able to hit so well.

▶When the magic suddenly wears off

"It's because I took my racket back early!"

"That's why I wasn't late on my swing and my timing was right, so I hit it well!"

Isn't that how you reach an epiphany?

You achieve enlightenment, thinking, "Now I'm okay!"

However, the next time you play, the magic suddenly wears off.

"Huh, I was able to play well by taking my racket back early last time, but today I can't hit well at all..." (Related article: "An 'epiphany' is usually a 'false answer'").

▶The reason for being in top form is a "Zen riddle"

Now, the reason why this situation is repeated over and over again is that even though you were in top form because you were playing with a "clear mind" without thinking about anything, the "thought" of being conscious of the take-back has been newly added (Related review: "A match that seemed like a miracle, K.T.").

To reproduce top-form play on the court, you need to be able to play tennis without thinking about the reason why you can hit well.

If you dare to think about the reason for being in top form, it becomes a Zen riddle of "not thinking about the reason.".

By doing so, you can break away from "thinking tennis" dominated by self-talk and shift to "sensory tennis" where you focus on the ball (Related article: "If you use 'chatty rallies' to your advantage, you can switch from 'thinking tennis' to 'sensory tennis'").

▶Do you want a "basis" for hitting well!?

I want a basis for "if I do this, I can hit well."

Rather than wanting it, I feel anxious without it.

Because of that, it can even lead to being afraid to hit the ball.

To break out of that spiral, you need a change in thinking: you don't need a basis for "if I do this, I can hit well"; no, it's better not to have one (Related article: "Do you want to understand the 'reason you can do it'?").

The only thing you can dare to use as a basis is this.

▶People who sacrifice "now" for the "future"

This is similar to the illusion that if you worry about the future, you can feel at ease now.

There are many people who think that for the sake of future peace of mind, they have no choice but to sacrifice the present..

Of course, by preparing, you might gain some sense of security.

However, since you can never perfectly know the future no matter how much you think about it, if you think too much, you will worry, "What if that happens?" or "What if this happens?" and you won't be able to feel at ease at all, which will lower your current performance (current life satisfaction)..

Certainly, a personality that worries about the future has an aspect of being "meticulous", but on the flip side, it can lead to being "sloppy" by neglecting the present.

▶The time you can exert the most power is "now"

What we can think about is always either the past or the future, whether it is 0.1 seconds ago or 0.1 seconds later.

On the other hand, what we can feel by seeing or hearing is always now.

You can no longer see the scenery from 0.1 seconds ago, and you cannot yet hear the sound from 0.1 seconds later.

And when we focus on the now, we are beings who can exert the most power (Related article: "How to unleash your maximum potential").

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