Introduction
Play it as it Lies.
A Golf game isn’t won by hitting the ball as far or as hard as you can. You win the game by placing the ball directly where you want it to end up at the pin. Golf seems like a good parallel for self-development.
To get your ball to the pin, you need to know two things.
- Where is the pin?
- Where is your ball currently sitting? (the lie)
The direction you aim, type of club you use, and how much “oomph” you put into your swing are all determined by those two pieces of intel. If you’re on the fairway, you use the flat terrain and wide clearing to swing hard and get to the green. If you’re in the trees, you use a wood or 4-iron to stay low and get back on the fairway. If you’re in a bunker, you grab a wedge and give it just enough to get out of the sand, then get a refund for your golf lessons.
It’s enticing to swing as hard as we can, especially if we have a bad lie. We think “anywhere is better than here,” then load up for that gratifying feeling of power as we crush the ball, sending it somewhere into a subdivision.
You can hit it hard, but guess what? You still lose. Would you like to putt to the pin or chase your ball into the water? (don’t do this in Florida).
Effort is an ingredient to win, not the key to winning. The key is to hit it in the right direction without wasting force.
I’ll be writing to you over the next five days about how to do just that, with your body, your mind, and your attitude. Tune in to learn how to have more wins.
Lie(i) How the ball is resting on the ground, which may add to the difficulty of the next stroke.
Photo Cred: @Herphotographie
