Lil Jeggie…

Yesterday, we held practice ONE.35 with a team of golfers. It was early am on U.S. Amateur final qualifying day for four of them. They all showed up early for BTL team practice before teeing it up under the pressure and in the heat. Both coaches were there. We talked about Matt Biondi from back in 1984. The power of your words when adversity strikes. Was some freakin’ magic moments together, at least to me.

You see back in 1984 Positive Psychology was in it’s infancy. Dr. Seligman (known as the Father of Positive Psychology) was just putting forth his theories on high performers mindsets. He wanted to study what caused human flourishing. We’ve been all about it ever since. Just go to your bookstores and see the dominate sections on self help and positive psychology. We’ve learned a lot in the last 40 years. We still don’t know much…

So, I shared Biondi’s story of the 1984 Olympics and his positive self talk. Dude lost his first two events and got better not bitter. They ate it up. Challenged them to preload a mantra for the day and use it when the game goes sideways and the negative voice starts screaming in your head. They all played well. None of ’em, however, made it through to the BIG dance in San Fran.

Lil Jeggie (friend and client) was also qualifying. Followed him and them for much of the sweltering day. He too has heard the Biondi story and has adopted a variety of mantra’s to keep him present when adversity wants to speed him forward or drag him back. Today, he told me, he kept telling himself he had every shot. He believed his words, not the drunk in his head (little voice). He played beautifully. Fired a nearly flawless 67. Headed to Olympic Club for the first time. He’s in the final field of the oldest golf tournament in America. It was his day. So, so happy for him.

These OSU golfing studs will have theirs. They’ve all got game. Gotta keep working and believing. Golf, like life, cannot be won – only played. It’s best played with a positive mindset and deep seated belief. Both can be built. Nobody can gift them to you. Nature doesn’t bestow them. You, friend, have got to build within. Truth.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy – meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:8

What, friend, are you meditating upon? The transformation of your mind is a must if you want to master whatever is your craft. Slow down. Reflect. Maybe it’s time to build a better belief system. Damn.

Live hard. Love harder…