What if I told you that everything that has ever happened to you happened in order for you to someday achieve greatness - would you believe it? Would you handle yourself differently on a daily basis, knowing that everything, good or bad, was a gift to you from a higher power in order for you to achieve grand things? If your goal was to be a champion golfer, do you think you would take a different approach to each golf shot you hit if you had no fear of failure? Would there be any reason to swing at the golf ball with fear knowing that your destiny is already set in stone… knowing that you will be great?
Yes, this does sound a bit far-fetched I know. But it’s incredible how many times we hear people talk about how life is against them. This is a common theme on the golf course, right? How many times have you heard your playing partner lament about how they always get the bad bounces, or tell you that the infamous “golf gods” are, once again, out to get them? I’d have to say that the majority of people that talk like this genuinely believe this. Silly, isn’t it?
Well, here’s the catch: the only thing that we as human beings really have control of is how we think. We really do have a choice about what we believe and what attitude we take towards each and every thing that happens to us throughout our entire lives, including during our rounds of golf. We can choose to think one way, or we can choose to think another way. Why do so many of us choose to think that the “golf gods” are against us? Wouldn’t it be just as east to that they are out there to help guide us to greatness? So many of us have trained our minds to believe bad things are bound to happen. Would it hurt to take the extreme opposite approach to your game, and your life for that matter?
One of my favorite quotes of all time, written by an author by the name of Anon, pretty much says it all: “Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to what happens to us. Not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thought, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst… a spark that creates extraordinary results.”
What if a golfer had written this quote, and it read: “Our golf games are not determined by what happens after each shot, but how we respond to each shot. Not by what our game brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to our games. A positive attitude after each and every shot causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst… a spark that will create extraordinary results.”
If we took this approach to the golf course with us on a daily basis, would anything bad come of it? Would it hurt us to learn to manage our thoughts and emotions by truly believing that even on the worst of days there are events and outcomes that will, without question, bring us closer to our long-term goals?
It is important to really “get” that we all create our own energy and beliefs. Every single thought we have will literally change our bodies. Our future is what we think it will be. The thoughts we have and the feelings we feel after each shot will determine the speed of our progress on and off the golf course. the extent to which we manage our emotions will directly affect the speed of our progress- or make no progress at all. We can either believe that the “golf gods” are there to help us, or to hurt us. We can believe that our life experiences can contribute to our learning and guide us, or we can believe that we are victims of a world just waiting to push us off track. If we let life teach us, then we will learn.
Not to long ago, I had the privilege of caddying for one of my junior golfers, James, in a US Kids event. James was really struggling on the second nine holes of this event. He had just hit a ball into the water off the tee, took his drop, and then proceeded to hit his next shot into a bunker that looked as deep as a two story building to me. I can’t imagine how deep it looked to a seven year old. I mentioned to James that champions are made by how they handle themselves when things were not going their way. James looked me right in the eye and said, “OK, coach!” James went on to fearlessly blast his next shot out of the bunker, and then flew a pitching wedge directly into the hole, on the fly, from 50 yards out. The ball never even touched the putting surface. James went on to play his last four holes at two under par. After the round James asked me if he handled himself like a champion. Kids… they’ll believe anything, won’t they?
Well, isn’t it good to know that we, as adults, have the ability to believe anything as well, as long as we put forth the effort? The mind is the most powerful thing in existence! James has a desire to become a champion; therefore, he was able to channel all of his energy in that direction. The great thing is that we are all capable of creating our own destinies. If you believe that, then no matter where you hit your next golf shot, you will create a chain reaction of wonderful events throughout your future rounds and in all areas of your life. With practice and discipline, you can learn to direct your thoughts to only manifest towards your goals and dreams.
Remember, the “golf gods” do have a plan for you. They are really on a mission to help you in your quest to reach your true potential. So don’t slow them down, or get in their way. Continue to have a vision, and know that there is a reason why you drew that bad lie, or brought up that mud on your ball in the middle of the fairway. It is all part of the bigger plan. It is all part of the plan that will help you in your quest to achieve your golfing goals.
- Posted by Bill McInerney
Article Published in Golf Fitness Magazine