This week, I am re-reading “The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance“, by Josh Waitzkin. I am glad I picked it up during Toastmaster’s International Speech Competition season, because it provides a wealth of information for anyone that is involved in competitions that require mental and performance skills.

This book will appeal to competitive speakers, because is that it gives an easily understandable overview of what it takes to perform at a high level under amazing stresses. What I have tuned into during my second read is how Josh describes the path to high performance through his life story in a similar manner that great speakers present. It is fascinating to see the parallels between chess, tai chi, and then compare that to the competitive speaking world that I am currently involved.

You might remember that Josh Waitzkin was the subject of the book, “Searching for Bobby Fischer” and movie of the same name. In The Art of Learning, Josh discusses his development as a Chess master and then as an International Champion in Tai Chi Chuan Push Hands. It is amazing to read about the journey from child chess prodigy, to champion teenager, and then becoming an international champion in martial arts. Through this story, Josh weaves the fundamentals of the concept flow, how to trigger the flow state, and how to develop as a high performer. They are useful concepts for speakers to understand when perusing competitive speaking as a pastime.

Whether you are looking to develop a passion for learning the activity in which you want to compete, develop your ability to enter into the flow state, or develop the tactics needed to compete at a high level, I think you will find the “The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance“an excellent addition to your reading list.

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