Most people who want to become better at some aspect of their lives seek out new information to help them improve. They read a book, take a class, hire a coach, do something to acquire outside knowledge that will get them over the hump. That outside in approach is exactly the way Alan Fine coached his students on the tennis court in Wales -- until he made a breakthrough while helping a nine-year old beginner that would change his life forever. At first she could only hit the ball over the net 5 times consecutively. When he stopped giving her specific instructions (like "shake hands with the racket") and began helping her simply focus on two actions-the bounce and the hit-she managed to clear the net 50 times.
That's when Fine realized he had it all wrong. In his efforts to coach his players and show them exactly what to do, he was getting in the way of their own talent. He began to notice that, like the little girl, the more information he gave them, the more likely they were to screw up. Instead of focusing on the game and the objective, they were too busy trying to remember everything their coach had told them.
Helping this little girl become ten times better using an inside out approach was the start of a whole new way of coaching for Fine. From this experience, he developed a unique and effective approach that recognizes that top performance only comes from removing the obstacles that block us from doing what we already know how to do.
Whether you are a leader trying to get the most out of your people, a parent coaxing your child into cleaning his room, or a weekend warrior trying to improve your golf swing, Fine will help you eliminate what is standing in the way of your goals.