Searching for the way

In my love of sports and continued studies of ancient Chinese philosophy, I kept searching for a way to explain how ancient masters of Zen and Kung Fu perfected their skills thousands of years ago. I envisioned that this ancient way could teach modern day athletes how to perform in excellence.

Today’s athlete often has a tendency to overanalyze, think too much, and try too hard. There is an excessive and anxious focus on the outcome or result of their athletic experience. They anxiously, fearfully over-focus on the thinking and “doing” and miss the experience of “being” in the present moment. Yet, the only time an athlete can experience true peak performance is when he or she is in the Zone – a euphoric state of effortless “being” when there is no thinking, just going with the flow, responding to the circumstances and creating outside the box.

How does one live and train to be in the Zone?

The writings in this book, Athletes Way of Excellence, are about how to use ancient Chinese wisdom to achieve athletic peak performance and how to be in the Zone. The sources of the information in this book are the same ancient Eastern wisdom and principles as in my first book. After 33 years of working in holistic sports medicine, I have studied thousands of athletes and witnessed first-hand the cause and effect of their behavior and beliefs in victory or defeat.

The Way Of Excellence teaches 12 lessons of timing, how to be, as well as what to do and when to do it. This simple ancient wisdom, when applied diligently, will improve athletic performance of body and mind. It has been used for thousands of years by Zen monks, Shaolin priests and Kung Fu grand masters and can still be used today to show the “Way” to master a skill and to perform in Excellence.

The greatest obstacles and battles for you to performing in the Zone is in your own mind.Ignorance, lack of awareness and knowledge cause repetition of disappointing results.Insanity is doing the same thing over and expecting a different result.The Way Of Excellence will guide the athlete to be present, at peace and of one mind, free of mental chatter, performance anxiety or regret. The wisdom of this book teaches how to be, what to do and when to do it, always in perfect timing and Excellence.This book is dedicated to my love for sports and athletics, and it is my hope that it shall provide the wisdom to young and aspiring athletes that most athletes never fully learn or learn too late in their career.

Book Testimonials

“In the book The Athletes Way of Excellence, Tobe highlights concepts that I have used not only in sports, but also in my life. I have been privileged to know Tobe since my early years at Stanford and the philosophies that are portrayed in this book are the same ones he taught me during a few of my struggles.

The way of excellence is not about tangible evidence, but rather the pursuit for greatness. He taught me that there’s only one person who can judge our success and that’s you as an individual. Only you know whether or not you gave your best effort to God, your family, your teammates, and yourself, or whoever you play for.

Tobe has inspired me that you win or you learn. You never lose. There is something to learn and grow from in every situation. I’m excited to see the impact this book will have on many, as it did on my own life.”
– Christian McCaffrey, Carolina Panthers , formerly Stanford Cardinal