If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream – and not make dreams your master;
If you can think – and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same…These words are just a piece of a poem called “If” by Rudyard Kipling. It speaks volumes to the soul of the golfer and long driver, especially the ones who wake up every day in search of a way to be better and more consistent. These are the everyday dreamers who tend to operate without the benefit of a safety net of support and money that tends to smooth the path in front of them.
The true measure of a person’s soul is to see how they react to adversity. A well dressed college basketball coach finds it easy to run around and body language a shot into the hoop when his team is up by 30 but the true coaching and worth can be found when their team is down by 15 late in the game in a hostile environment. It seems that some Competitors take exception to an opponent who waits until ball six to hit their best shot. In all truth, the long driver who can gather himself when it matters most and reach down deep inside when everyone else doubts, has shown something to be envied by the masses. For some, just the act of competing is a triumph over self doubt and I applaud anyone who finds the strength to stand in front of others and swing away.
Worry and stress can stand in the way of even the most talented players on the planet. A player who no longer feels any apprehension before they compete may no longer have the ability to feel the drive to win. We all walk a path that hopefully leads to better days and to success in the things we care deeply about. If you think the road will always be smooth and open, you have plenty of heartache ahead but when you can develop the ability to face obstacles and the unknown in a calm, determined and efficient manner, you will have something that the majority of your competition does not have.
Spend your time working on the things you can control. Outwork others to eclipse their skill level, make yourself go to the gym or the range even when conditions aren’t perfect and when you face problems and setbacks, just know that in the end, “it all works out”.
Do yourself a favor and read the entire poem mentioned above. Don’t fly too high in victory and don’t lay down in defeat because the higher you fly, the harder the impact when you do return to earth.
Shark Attack Golf- Moby