So today marks my 50th consecutive day going to the gym.I marked the occasion by doing 40 minutes of cardio on the treadmill. BTW no cardiac incident! When on the treadmill your mind can go to some places like 82 days until golf season, when should I get the Winter tires off , and how much damage did the Winter weather do at the cottage.Listening to Classic Rock does make the time go by and maintain a good pace. Which leads me to my point.
What is my motivation for doing this? My initial motivation was, it was a place to go in the mornings for a couple of hours because I am recently retired. However, that motivation only lasts for so long, but at least it got me started. So, as time moved on I needed to find the next step in the motivation process. I have always had the inner drive to compete. Make no mistake I still do not like to lose ,but I love the thrill of competing even more.
I was losing that thrill of competing as far back as 2015. In June of 2016 I went on an overseas golf trip and played some links golf with a friend who was veteran of links golf. There was one round in particular that we played in 40mph winds that I believe saved me. My friend and I were standing on the tee of a Par 3 that measured 135 yards with a narrow opening and devious pot bunkers. There was a hellicus cross wind and I was thinking, how to make a three. My friend looks at me and says “what’s the play?” Without a hesitation I said “lay up, chip and putt for a three.” Well, I did two of the three, made a four and felt great! It motivated me to compete again and actually played some decent golf from then on.
As I am finding out now my motivation has shifted once again and I have asked myself why am I on this journey to perform and compete again? In recent years I have had fears and doubts that have grabbed my mind and I protected myself against poor play. That dam ego mind again! So, right now I am motivated to train my mind and my body to connect with my real purpose. That purpose is to understand how to play the game at a much deeper level than ever before. Strike and control the golf ball with an understanding that every shot has a purpose.
Adversity will hit this season, but I must understand that the difference between a good performance and residence in Suckville is a very fine line. I need to be prepared for when it hits, not if it hits. When it hits I need to be able to lean on on my preparation because that is all you really have. That is what will be motivating me for the next 82 days and beyond.
I will leave you with Justin Su’a six principles to an Elite Mindset:
You are never too good to get better
What you do on purpose, do with a purpose
Focus,refine, and understand the process, not the result
Little by little becomes a lot
Embrace the boredom of consistency
Learn from failure
Until next time!
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