The Journey: One Last Thought!

Who do you think this is?    If you said "Tiger Woods" you would be wrong!   Yes, that is me on the 18th green of the mecca of golf...Pebble Beach.    Of course, the throngs of tourists did more than one double-take as I walked off the practice green.    Pebble Beach and a knock-off Tiger...should make for a great round of golf, but the first warm up round at Spanish Inn was anything but...in fact, I almost gave up the game based on that round... seriously!   Imagine the pressure of playing with strangers, the most hallowed ground for the sport (outside of Ireland!) and there is a growing gallery to watch this "faux Tiger" tee off.   Can you say pressure?   The shaking of hands (yes, mine were shaking but I mean the competitors), the pre-shot routine, and a tip of the hat to the few hundred (I cant make this stuff up!) people gathered round.   Shank!   Just past the ladies (pardon...forward tees).  I few "ughs" and "awes" from the quickly dissipating gallery and we were off.  At least now we're away from the peering eyes of a judgmental public...I now had a new respect for Tiger and the golfing profession in general.   I never recovered or hit one good shot...the whole day.  The damage of the first tee had been planted, taken root, and the harvest was a round of multi-million dollar mansion hitting shanks!   Embarrassed, though supported by my playing partner (a genuinely great guy!), I decided to give up the game...before you judge me...    How do you deal with pressure?   Right before you get on the phone to call a client who has a problem...   Gold-calling for an appointment...   Fighting the 10th objection, as you face the next mortgage payment, needing to close the prospect in front of you   Performance pressure is real...and it prevails in the profession of sales...do you feel it?  I called a friend and told him the story.  He asked the strangest question...   "What was the last thing on your mind just as the club is about to hit the ball?"   I understood swing thoughts and I have a very specific routine...up until the moment of impact - there...I was vulnerable.   I thought it over and re-lived the first few shots...I began to sweat again sitting there in my pajamas...physiological response to the memory broke open my glands...the mind is powerful!  My One Last Thought...   "I hope I don't shank"   He didn't have to say another word...   I began to think of all the best rounds of golf I had ever played, the day I shot an 81, the 325 yard drive that went right down the middle.  I looked around me at the beauty of the resort and the awesome blessing to be there.  Me, Natalie, Dave & David Meyer I remembered how I got there to begin with...We support several ministries and causes and were major supporters of Joyce Meyers Hands of Hope water initiative. They had invited us to come...yes, to ask for more help.   I began to laugh out loud, "Here I am sweating over a round of golf and someone is fighting for water"...    Perspective is powerful - my mind was "free" to accept better thoughts about my circumstances.    I was "all better".    What are you sweating over today?  Use the power of your mind to put it into perspective...to put a "positive spin" on it.  These thoughts are not the empty calories of delusion to make you feel like everything is fine...I am not asking you to bury your head in the sand of positivity to the exclusion of your current reality.   I am asking you to clear your mind of the crap (yes...I said crap!) and confusion that clouds the next move you make that WILL MAKE your situation better.   Forget the rejections, the chargebacks, the charge accounts and the bad leads...think positively about your NEXT MOVE.   The next day, the crowd was smaller (we had a 7:10 tee time...whew!), and my mind was calmer...the last thought I had as the first tee shot sailed 235 yards right down the middle was...   "Thank you!"   That round was magical...we shot a 79 and tied for first in our flight (3rd flight but that is not the point!)   The point is, you can recover from a bad day...a missed opportunity...a shank.   All you have to do is begin again and this time remember to make that ONE LAST THOUGHT the right one...congruent even!    Until tomorrow, I wish you Money, Power, Success! Next Time: The Journey - Word Up!"

Par 3 12th 187 yds Tee shot...10 ft pin high...Booyah! What a difference a day makes!