I wanted to cry…

… just like that, my professional golfing career had ended and I felt helpless.

Anyone who has ever tried playing golf will know that it’s probably one of the most frustrating sports out there.

It’s a constant battle with the mind and will test you in ways you didn’t think were possible.

When I was younger I started playing just for fun with my dad and was never particularly good at it.

I could hit the ball most times but was not consistent and better at finding bushes than the putting green.

But one day my dad got me a lesson with a pro.

The pro gave me loads of tips, adjusted my posture, changed my grip and by the end of the lesson I was hitting the ball perfectly every time.

For the remainder of that day I could not miss a shot, every time I hit the ball it went exactly where I wanted. It’s like I was one with the club.

This was it. I had figured golf out. I had finally cracked the code.

It was just a matter of time before I’d be a pro and giving Tiger Woods a run for his money.

The next day I went again and couldn’t hit the ball properly to save my life. It’s like I was a complete beginner again. I beat myself up for being so bad, wanted to cry and never play again.

When’s the last time one bad day has made you feel like all the progress you’d made before that didn’t count?

Maybe you were finally getting good at meditation… Maybe you had stopped feeling anxiety for a while… Maybe your ability to delegate was improving...

Then out of the blue, you had one bad day and it negated all the good days you’d had until then.

This would happen to me all the time, I’d beat myself up, forget all the progress I’d made and convince myself I was a failure until the next good day came along.

But recently I realised that these back and forths weren’t that bad. In fact they were actually really GOOD.

Because when you’re having back and forths it means you are moving forward, it means you're not stuck or only going back.

You have good days and you have bad days, which is infinitely better than only having bad days.

Now I embrace the back and forths, I feel grateful to have them and understand they are part of the growth process.

So if you’re having an off day or feeling like you’re fluctuating with your progress, remind yourself that these back and forths are actually good. They are essential for you to get to where you want to be and an integral part of any form of personal development.

Let me know in the comments where you have the most back and forths in your life?


#personaldevelopment #golf #growthmindset #motivation