In 1988, after twenty years of learning and playing the sport of tennis, and 14 years of teaching it, I had a simple realization: The introduction of competition before we achieve proficiency in the fundamental physical, mental and emotional skills, compromises all aspects of the learning process. Unfortunately, this premature introduction of competition into the learning process occurs not just in tennis and other sports, but in almost every field of skill and knowledge in our culture. And the consequences for individuals and society are devastating. Today the negative effects of competition shape and define nearly every aspect of modern life, including education, religion, politics, personal and international relations, sports, news, business and most of popular culture.

Evolutionary Education challenges the very foundation of our society. The first part of the book looks at the history of human culture in light of competition, and illuminates the “dark side” of our competitive system. It examines the real and alleged benefits of this system to show that it does not live up to its hype, and in fact causes more harm than good. (Even the relative few winners in our competitive system often pay a steep price, physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually, for their success.) It shows how the dominant competitive mindset into which we are all indoctrinated prevents us from questioning the validity of the competitive system, or recognizing or acknowledging its devastating effects on individuals and in society.

Evolutionary Education then offers an alternative, a non-competitive/cooperative educational model that I call Effortless Learning, which is described in detail in the course of the book. Competition takes its rightful place as an advanced aspect of an activity — an option, not a requirement. Something to be engaged in once competence in the fundamental skills can be demonstrated.

What I am proposing isn’t theoretical, pie-in-the-sky conjecture. A viable, working program of Effortless Learning is in place. I have been teaching the highly competitive sport of tennis since 1974, helping many men, women, and children learn the game. Since October of 1992, however, this program has been based entirely on a non-competitive model of learning. In other words, there is no competition while people are learning the fundamentals of how to play the game. My research in the fifteen years since I removed competition, which has included nearly ten thousand hours of on-court observation of close to a thousand different students, demonstrates that a non-competitive learning system can lead to tremendous success — even in competition. Effortless Learning sets us on the path to a more successful, cooperative, and joyful future.

The last part of the book shows how this non-competitive learning system can be applied in every area of our lives, and how it can help move our species to higher levels of development. Evolutionary Education is a map and an invitation to join in a most important task – moving past our aggressive, competitive nature, whose dark side has led to inequality, poverty, injustice, abuse, war, and widespread mediocrity and malaise, toward a new era of cooperation, innovation, excellence, peace, and joy. Reading this book will encourage you to search out your piece of the puzzle in the next stage of our human evolution. It will show you how to develop greater skill and excellence in your chosen field of endeavor. And that will make you happier, healthier, and more fulfilled, while making your world a better, more humane place to live, work, and play.

Brent Zeller
Summer 2007
Marin County, California