Posted by Charlie King on Sat, Nov 01, 2008 @ 04:29 PM
Tour players don't normally take up the game at age 19.
But after five years of learning golf on my own, I had a low single-digit handicap, and a chance elective class I took in college led to the far-fetched idea of becoming a PGA Tour player (far-fetched according to my family and friends, anyway).
That elective was called "Special Topics in Business Management." I needed one more elective hour and I heard it was an easy A. I was two quarters away from graduation and still didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Our textbooks were Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill and How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. One day, midway through the quarter, the professor came in and said something that changed my life. He asked: "If you could do anything you wanted to do and there was no limit on what you could do, what would you choose to do?" I had never thought about it that way.
My passion for golf was to the point that I could be first on the tee at 7:00 am Saturday and Sunday, but couldn't quite get myself out of bed for my 9:00 am classes during the week. I had attended the 1987 Masters and witnessed one of the greatest shots in golf history, the chip-in by Larry Mize on the 11th hole to beat Greg Norman in a playoff, so it seemed logical to me to answer my professor's question with: "I would win the Masters."
Inspired, I went to my two-bedroom apartment and got out a notebook. I wrote down my goal to win the Masters at the top and wrote the steps it would take from A to Z. I pursued my dream as hard as I could for four years. Then, at age 28, having had very limited success, I decided it was time to move on.
But, needless to say, there had been benefits to chasing my dream, even if they weren't immediately evident. I had worked with several teachers in addition to becoming one myself.
My first teacher "methodized" me with a one-size fits all approach that was ridiculous, to say the least. I had teachers whose philosophies changed from week to week, and a couple who simply did not care. It was a disgrace. Their examples taught me what not to do. And I can make that knowledge work for you.
I have no idea if I could have made it on Tour, but I deserved a chance to reach my potential. And so do you.
Dream big, make a plan, take massive action toward achieving it every day. At Reynolds Golf Academy, we will continue to give lessons, create golf schools and publish information that will help you reach your potential.
Posted by Charlie King on Mon, Oct 20, 2008 @ 11:50 AM
With the turmoil in the economy and financial markets, it reminds me of how the mental side of golf teaches us the lessons that pertain to this seemingly difficult situation.
When you are 5 down in a match with 7 to play, do you give up or do you go through your routine and hit each shot the best you can to give yourself a chance to come back?
Do you have a routine in golf that gives you a chance to shoot the lowest score possible?
Do you have a routine or set of habits in life that allows you to get the most out of each day?
I have made it a point in my life since I was 25 to seek out the best coaches in the key areas for success: family, career, spiritual, physical, emotional, etc. The lessons learned and the habits I have developed serve me well in seemingly difficult times on the golf course, in business and in life. For those who are struggling, I recommend Tony Robbins' information on getting into a Peak State. This is a link to a recent appearance he had on the Today Show and it has some other links worth trying. No single human being has taught me more useful life habits than Tony Robbins. Also, the best and most practical sports psychologist in my opinion is Dr. Rick Jensen. He has a new book I recommend titled Drive to the Top.
With the financial meltdown's effect on virtually everybody, we need solutions and practical day to day tools, not negativity, whining and complaining. My question is, "How many times will each of us go through a 'crisis' in a lifetime?" The answer is: many times. We need to have effective ways of thriving even during the tougher times.
Respectfully submitted,
Charlie King