Some of you may know that after 30 years I have taken up the game of golf. In the past, I was too busy with my work, but now being semi-retired, I have time to enjoy this recreation. In my last blog, I talked about investing our thoughts, time, and money rather than spending them.
Many people would say golf is a waste of time. I used to say that. However, right now golf is a great investment. It is about the art of self-improvement, self-mastery. To master one’s mind and body is one of the challenges of life. Can we change our old ways of doing things into something better and more productive?
There are many ways of keeping score on our life. We do have to do that to see how we are doing. Money is often used as a score card. How good are your relationships with your spouse, parents, children, business associates, coworkers? What do you do for recreation and is it really fun and beneficial? How is your health? Body fat content? Blood Pressure? Energy? Stamina? Emotions? Fear? Anger? Joy? Unless you keep score on these things, you really do not know where you are and what areas of life need some improvement.
So, keeping score in golf is not about being better than your partner. It is about improving yourself. Keep score against yourself in golf and in life. Are you getting better?
I guess the next big question is, Do You Desire to Be Better? Maybe you are just here in life on vacation. Maybe you have given up and do not really care to improve anymore. It is up to each of us to make that determination. The reality is that whatever we decide, is alright. You do not have to follow anyone else’s recommendations. Be true to yourself.
As I stated before, I think of golf as an investment. I am studying and learning from someone who has been where I am now and who has improved to the point that I desire to be. By doing this, I am improving my health, improving my relationship with my wife who is my golf partner, improving my mind by learning a new skill and overcoming old habits that were not effective, improving my career by increasing confidence in myself and my ability to master something difficult, improving my stamina, both mentally and physically, and much, much more.
By keeping score against myself, I have a measuring stick to see where I am, where I have been, and it helps set the goal for where I desire to be. We must do that in life as well as our sport.
Someone said to me the other day, “I am amazed at how far I have come”. She came from a past where almost everything in her life was not working very well, to a place now where almost everything is going great. All this done in about a year. Were there bad times? Yes. Were there times of depression and thoughts that suicide was the only solution? Yes. Was there anxiety? Yes. Was there the thrill of meeting someone new? Yes. Was there the excitement of watching her child blossom? Yes. Do I hit golf balls in the trees? Yes. Do I hit some great, amazing shots? Yes. There are always ups and downs.
The score of each episode of life and golf just tells you how you are doing. It guides you to do more drills in that weak area, to give up an old pattern of thought, to release someone from your life who has been an anchor, and to focus on the things you have done correctly, not on the sand traps and obstacles.
Invest your thoughts, time, and money in something that will make your life better.
Put Your Health in Your Own Hands
Put Your Health in Your Own Hands 