Overcoming difficult obstacles

BY Ray Sarno
Sports

June 20, 2009 11:11 pm

— There will always be tests in your growth, both on and off the golf course. Sometimes you will find one particular test that is especially tough to overcome. But it is these tough trials that create situations that will ultimately develop patience.
These times will develop your inner character, which will serve you well in both golf and the tougher times ahead in your life. These trying times of change are strength builders, and even when you don’t like the path you are on, you have to be willing to let the situation strengthen you into a better player and a better person.
Human nature and ego sometimes cause impatience. Sometimes you need the long way around instead of the short cuts. The challenges that you face with a change in you golf swing will be all the more worthwhile if you go through the growth period.
Frustration just shows your unwillingness to go through with your change. Once you quit the fight that you put up to change, the surrender becomes welcome. You will always be tested in the areas that you need the work the most. Your weakest points have to be exposed. The more you try, the worse it sometimes seems to get.
Looking at a situation from the other side is often an interesting prospective. What if you get to the finals in your Club championship? Wouldn’t it make sense to apply yourself to waiting out the changes and the uncomfortable feelings that your body and mind are trying to figure out?
Often the future may hold something you had better be prepared for. These changes may bring out the imperfections of your swing, but isn’t it better in the long run to be rid of them instead of having one more round with no confidence with your driver or a certain iron shot that just always seems to ruin a good score?
Quit looking back at those bad shots that happen during change and understand that each one will bring you one shot closer to greatness. When you drive in your car you have this big front window and this little rear view mirror. That’s because what is in your past isn’t nearly as important as your future.
You don’t have to be just an average golfer, don’t settle for just breaking 90 or 80. There is a golf game out there that you may think is perhaps way beyond your wildest dream. Not so. I have seen players do amazing things by believing that they can, by pushing through and toughing out the changes that had to be made to get to the next level. They broke the negative cycle and they never looked back.
Remember, in order to make great achievements, you have to have great challenges.