The idea that having a goal means that it's acceptable to have a head strong attitude towards that goal and nothing's going to get in the way, is not only wrong, it can be damaging. When that is your perspective, it's actually the ego at work and the ego is the thing that really separates our selves from our joy. This is the sort of self-talk that is often inside of your head as you head to the first tee.
Picture this, you and your pals arrive at the tee box and a wager is proposed. Perhaps, if I may add to the scenario, you're not so confident in your game. But because you don't want to appear weak, you're not going to eschew the gambling and propose you should just play for fun. Of course not, not if you're any kind of man.
But how do you define yourself? Are you what you have? Are you what you do? Are you what you attain? Are you your status in life? Truthfully, you're not separate from anyone else on earth and you're not separate from whatever isn't in your life either. You see, we are all connected by some invisible fabric; something that is far greater than what we can even try to imagine. A force which I prefer to call God and the name I use is Jehovah. But before I realized any connection to a creator, I was as separate from my own potential as anyone.
We see our selves as separate because of our ego -- the scared part of us which lives by fear. Fear is so limiting to be around. It's what tells us that we are not able to hit the ball over that creek, it's way too far. Or that any given shot far exceeds your capabilities. The ego is the voice that keeps talking when you are just looking for some peace while you're playing your round. It is what limits you.
We don't have to be limited, we just have to show faith. When you trust in the ability that God gave you, fear goes away. The anxiety that you know, is nothing more than an illusion that we make up by those things that the ego does to you. The cool thing is once you connect with God and your inner strength, once you know that you're connected to God, anxiety and tension are not an option in your life. You can feel the super hero inside.
When I think about myself and what stresses me, and the things that give me anxiety on the course, most of the time I am telling myself to just try to play to my full potential -- which doesn't seem to be ego-based or self-centered. But it is. It just sounds more acceptable.
However, if I were to say, "I want to feel good in the midst of all of this, I want to feel connected to God" and did an internal type of meditation, the stress of hitting a bad shot would be gone. All of it would seem so trivial to what is really important in my life. Now whether or not the game will go in the direction I would like to see it go, that might or might not take place. My suggestion is that the abundance of something will begin to take it's form, it will flow into your golf when you reconnect to the one whose middle name is abundance, and that one is God. It is an awesome thing -- to reconnect. It is where you and I came from.
Come and find out more at the www.7mythsofgolf.com, it's the swing of the future.
Bill Bondaruk is a PGA Class A member. After traveling the mini tours, Bondaruk taught for a few world-renowned golf schools, including John Jacobs, Jim McLean and Scott Sackett's Resort Golf. He was Director of Instruction at Arizona National and swing instructor for the University of Arizona men's and women's golf teams. He has worked with a list of tour professionals as well as collegiate stars.
