I remember when I first started playing golf. Like most new players, I was terrible. Slice right, pull-hook left. I was awful. As I continued to practice, however, I got better. Not PGA tour better, but I got the point where I could eventually break 100. I was ecstatic! I saw a few pars, the occasional birdie, lots of bogies and some 12’s. Not perfect, but hey, I could play.
Then I met Dave.
Dave was a really good player, and playing with him made me suddenly discontent with my progress. Sure, I could break 100, but could I break 90? I asked Dave….”Dave, can I break 90?” He said, “no”.
WHAT??? NO??
Well, he explained that I’d never break 90 as long as I kept the swing I had developed. To improve, I would basically have to start over, get quite a bit worse for a while, and rebuild my swing.
I did that, with great success….I was shooting 120 in no time!
As I continued to work on these new techniques, however, I began to see change….real change, and before long, I was scoring in the low 80’s. It was a painful process, but it worked at some level.
What’s the old saying (alternately attributed to Mark Twain, Benjamin Franklin or Albert Einstein)? Something like, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
There are many areas of my life where I need to adopt a new strategy….I need to jettison my mediocre thinking and drive toward something better and more effective. Sure, in the short run, it may get messy. But I’d take a short term loss for a long term gain any day. How about you?
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Oh yeah. I don’t know why it took me so long to figure out the first step to growth was admitting I needed to grow! Sounds like a “Duh!” moment, I know, but it’s easy to miss when filtered through layers of pride. Hooray for messiness!
Thanks for the reminder.
c
cathyhowie.wordpress.com
“But I’d take a short term loss for a long term gain any day. How about you?”
That’s the problem, Chris. Many are not willing to do that.
Or to do the work to relearn/change. I agree–it’s worth it!
I’m impressed with low 80’s.
I’ll get to the low 80’s in no time and I don’t have to change a thing. It’s genetic or something. :))
Nice, mom! And Judy, what I neglected to mention is that scoring in the low 80’s was pre-kids. It happens occasionally now, but anything below 90 is a pretty good score for me these days. Like most hackers with no time to practice, I look like a golfer about 10% of the time. The rest of the time I look like a guy looking for a lost ball…because I am! =)
Don’t know if its possible for MY golf swing to ever change.. but LOVE the analogy and yes, “Sure in the short run, it may be messy.” (or IS messy) I recently heard Matthew Kelly (an author) say, “Most of us do love change. It’s the transition we don’t like) Think that’s the case for both my golf swing and my life… but both DO need the change! Love your stuff Chris!