WHY I INCLUDE EASTERN THOUGHT

For many years as a practicing sports psychologist, I relied heavily on the psychology of performance but I felt something was missing. It wasn't enough. With the birth of my best seller in over 10 languages, THINKING BODY,DANCING MIND in 1992 ( my 3rd book), my shift in my approach to sports performance became apparent. I now see my work as 15% psychology and 85% philosophy and spirituality. You see, sports psychologists define competitive learning as something you do to understand and master the external world of sports. I see competitive learning as something you do to understand and master your inner world, cultivating virtues of the heart such as courage, perseverance, compassion, integrity, sacrifice, respect, trust, fearlessness, tenacity and persistence to name a few. Competition in this way is NOT about beating your opponent. It's about using your opponent as a worthy vehicle to help you compete like crazy with your hair on fire doing what you love to do. This approach is more in line with the TAO, with Buddhist thought and Native American tadition where you blend with opposing energies, use them to your advantage and understand that all events are precious opportunities to learn about yourself for the bigger game of life. It's a way to think outside the box and embrace our failures, setbacks and losses as extraordinary ways to learn and forge ahead.  This is the WAY OF THE CHAMPION, the spirituality of sports.