Last night en route back home, I started re-reading "The Inner Game of Tennis". I first read this amazing book in college on my horn teacher's recommendation, but haven't really picked it up since. And it is just full of profound insights related to tennis (which I do not play at all) and the art of learning (which I "play" every time I practice). I could blog about pretty much every chapter of the book, but for some reason the one that's sticking with me as I prepare to practice today is the chapter on role playing. People can sometimes make extraordinary progress and surprise themselves by simply pretending to play tennis like a pro. Pretend like you have an aggressive volley, pretend like you know you're going to play consistent defense, etc. And so for today, I think I'm going to pretend like I am a wonderful practicer. One of those people who can focus quickly and naturally for hours at a time, every day; who listens non-judgmentally but with a critical ear; who goes for things with dramatically aggressive air but soft lips. It may not work, or it may just be the role I was born to play, the role I could already be playing.
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