Sunday, February 16, 2014

TEEING OFF WITH THE MASTERS: A SPORT PSYCHOLOGY NOVEL

In 1995 I wanted to take In The Zone performance principles to the world of golf.  It started when reading an article about Ben Hogan’s golf swing.  In the article, the author had identified basic principles of Hogan’s swing.  They were identical to the performance principles I had presented when writing in In The Zone.  I was curious.

I read as many books as I could on the subject and  history of golf and what the Masters of the game had to say.  I quickly discovered what they were saying paralleled In The Zone performance principles.

 I was off and running.  All I had to do is create a plot, develop an imaginary golf course and feature In The Zone principles within the context of a sport psychology novel.

It seems people learn better when exposed to stories and I wanted this story to reflect the mentality of regular, ordinary people on and off the course. I wanted to present how playing the game of golf has direct relevance to how we live our lives no matter where we are.  If you are out of control, angry and stressed while playing golf, this is predictive of how you live your life off the course.

In short, I wanted the reader to learn how In The Zone principles of elite performance apply to all aspects of our lives.  I had come full circle, back to Tension Management & Relaxation: An Approach to a Balanced Way of Living.  I was pleased to see how the basic ideas had remained unchanged over the years.  Teaching performance principles has been a good strategy.

I am reminded of the words of Miyamota Musashi, the greatest of Japanese swordsmen  
FROM ONE THING, KNOW TEN THOUSAND THINGS

When you learn basic performance skills with application to diverse performance challenges, you acquire self-confidence and an anchored sense of self.  This is much of what this Blog is about and acquiring Relaxation Skills is a significant step in this direction.

If you are a golfer, you may want to check out the Audio CD, TRUST YOUR SWING: THE POWER OF THE PENDULUM AND RHYTHMIC FLOW.  It is yet another expression of how Relaxation Skills can enhance your athletic performance.

Remember, you ARE what you think.  You BECOME what you do.

Dr. Ray

For any of your comments or questions, email me at drray@relaxationtherapy.pro