Tennis Coaching Taught Me To .... Learn, Unlearn - Relearn

 

One of my past student Jillani Khokar messaged me ” sir can you please make me understand what does it mean by Learn, Unlearn …. and Relearn." Jillani was an excellent Junior tennis player of his time.

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be the those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." - Alvin Toffer

Tennis has taught me how to Learn, Unlearn and Relearn. Right from my Tennis Coaching journey is the years where I had to learn, Unlearn and Relearn.

I learned tennis coaching by studying, seeing, listening, doing, and experiencing into quality repetition and these actions created my belief system. These beliefs shaped my behaviors and through numerous repetitions, it turned into a HABIT. Now, these habits are running on autopilot.

When I started coaching I use to focus on larger things and ignored small and important features. However, during coaching or while discussing with a fellow coach or while summarizing my learning I could realize the minute details I had missed.

This is how I learned.

Now we come to unlearn

Unlearning was my biggest challenge.

It is well known that great tennis players Adapt very well as per the situation and conditions of the match. Rafael Nadal is the best Example. So, I consider AQ (Adaptive Quotient more useful for success rather than IQ (Intelligent Quotient) or EQ ( Emotional Quotient). Once you start adapting to the change your unlearning and relearning happen together. LQ(Learning Quotient) is a new buzz and very few are talking about it.

“Having success today doesn’t mean having success tomorrow. It’s like your footprints in the sand at the beach. When a wave comes, it gently erases all your steps from the past.” Zhang Rhumin – CEO Haier

In this Covid period lot of things have changed. With the growth mindset, people changed their approach towards their work and benefited. During this adverse time, the winners have understood and realized to adapt to the change to be relevant to the current situation.

So the bottom line is to keep learning new things and be a learner. Keep your learning Glass a little bit empty so you can pour new things. One can say “Unlearning is a new learning” Ego comes in the way, doubts creep in, there is a conflict with belief, culture, past experiences, traditions, and rigidity does not allow to unlearn the past which has become obsolete. Our belief system has been rarely been challenged so it is difficult to adapt and change as per the new scenario or the new system. Our understanding has to be of 21st-century technologies. If one is Honest to oneself then learning will be easier otherwise it will be difficult. Be authentic Me and then Learning and Unlearning will be much easier.

For Me “Reason and Result” help me to Unlearn and Relearn. If I am not getting the result then I own it. Then I research, I ask, I seek advice and through other such sources and I relearn but don’t play the blame game. I become a learner again because I know it will make me a better coach, yes, it is just being comfortable in being uncomfortable. My learning is not for the benefit of others but I am learning to unlearn and then relearn to remove my ignorance which leads me to my actual growth.

The concept of Learn, Unlearn and Relearn will help you to go closer to your goal. Yes, old habits don’t go for those who do not want to learn, unlearn and relearn.

“Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young.” - Henry Ford

Lines to ponder With

Gautam Buddha at the end of his every teaching, lectures he uses to say the following verse

Suryasya Pasya Sreemanam Yo Na Tandrayate Charan. Charaiveti, Charaiveti.

Means

“Behold the Sun which has eternal sunshine, yet it never sets its feet. Therefore, keep moving, keep moving.” 🙏

 

The  Gomesee Way

Contact: 9824060060

Email:gomesee.lens@gmail.com