Month: March 2017

Our meeting of the book group this week focused on the chapter where Johnny and his pupil play golf at the Links of Utopia. Johnny’s purpose for this lesson is for the golfer to focus on the process rather than the outcome. He is more concerned with having him commit to the checklist than post a score. He wants to show the golfer how to move his thinking outside the box of his comfort zone and by doing so obtain the freedom to find his sweet spot. Johnny makes the statement that his passion in life is to free people from their boxes, the self-imposed prisons that they make for themselves, often without realizing it.

I recently had a similar experience with changing my thinking to look beyond the box. I left a job that I had done for over 10 years. I was growing increasingly stressed out and discontented with the situation. I felt like the powers that be in the organization were making the job feel like being in prison, only with less autonomy and empowerment. It wasn’t an easy decision to make, and it remains to be seen where it will ultimately lead.

Have you found your sweet spot? How do you define it? David Cook, the author of “Golf’s Sacred Journey” believes that the sweet spot is not a place you create by your own doing, it is a place that can only be sensed, a place that has been designed for you by God, and the adventure comes by discovering it. This is reminiscent of the discussion we had earlier in the study about identity, when we learned that life is about discovering our identity rather that creating it by our own efforts.

How do you know when you are in the sweet spot? In a golf swing, it is the sensation of making solid contact and getting maximum results with the feeling of effortlessness. It takes knowledge and practice, certainly, but there is also the application of utilizing your natural gifts and talents in the process. What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing that others might consider hard work? What kind of tasks to you always make time for? These are clues to finding the thing or things that will lead you to where you want to go. The key ingredient is the wisdom to know that you are walking in your purpose.

In the story, the golfer poses the question “Where have all the Johnnies gone?” What he is getting at is, where are those who make themselves available to teach wisdom, and to care enough to pass along what they know. Do you know someone who has affected your life in a profound way? Someone who gives encouragement and challenges you to be the best version of yourself? Just as important, is there anyone who would say that you fulfill that role in their life?

Please add your comments below.

We are just over half way through our study of the book “Golf’s Sacred Journey” that we started back in January. So far we have looked at themes such as

• Identity
• Risk
• Conviction
• Creativity
• Truth vs. Tradition

I was struck by the contrast between conviction and tradition, in the sense that people often latch on to traditions as a way of going through the motions and in the process, they can cover up truth in their lives. It could be argued that tradition is in opposition to conviction, since tradition requires no real thought process or ability to articulate why we do the things we do. Conviction demands that we stand behind our beliefs in such a way that even if others don’t necessarily agree with us, at least they can respect the sincerity of what we believe. I have heard it said that what is conviction to one generation becomes tradition to the following generation, and to subsequent generations becomes legalism. Perhaps what is needed is for those with conviction to be able to pass on the ideals that they are striving for and by doing so help other to apply those principles to their situations.

When Jesus went into the wilderness to fast and pray following his baptism, I’m sure he felt a strong conviction that he needed to do that to prepare himself for what was ahead of him in his ministry. Some religious traditions commemorate this during the season of Lent by observing a fast from certain types of food or indulgence in other diversions. I suppose that the extent to which it holds meaning is dependent on each person’s level of commitment.

The golfer in the story is still on his way to finding what it is that he is searching for. In many ways, at this point he isn’t even fully aware of what it is that he needs. Like many of us, he is looking to find that thing that will turn things around and get him on the path to success. He is about to find out that true success in life comes from identifying what it is that he was put here to do, and being willing to devote himself to that purpose.

Can you think of traditions that you have observed for a significant portion of your life that have become so familiar that they can actually interfere with your understanding of the meaning behind them? Do these traditions become a hindrance to understanding or appreciation of what they signify? To what extent are you open to question your traditions in an effort to find truth? What is the foundation of your convictions? Please add your comments below.

Well I was able to get back out on the course for the first time in 2017. It happened on February 17^th. It had been 10 weeks since the last time I had played, and the rust soon became apparent as I hit my opening tee shot on to the parking lot. The good news is that it can only get better from there. I live in Montana, so there is still some snow on the ground and apparently it has more magnetic attraction to golf balls than water or sand, which is to say that it there was a place where snow could be found, I found it. But at least it was good to get back out playing again.

The walking is doing me good, but I still have some work to do to get back in shape. Winter is when it usually happens for me, because I always schedule my annual physical for late spring. I figure that I have lost 100 pounds in the last five years. The problem is that it is the same 20 pounds every year. I get motivated ahead of my check-up so that my doctor won’t have to bring up the O-word, but then I succumb to my love of picnics and ballpark cuisine during the summer and by fall I just think, well, I can get serious about getting in shape after the holidays. It is really not a stretch for me to say that I don’t need a scale to know how much I weigh, I just need a calendar. My doctor isn’t a bad person; he just wants me to give up everything I enjoy in life so I can live longer. I figure if I do it his way, then when I’m 90 I can look forward to an extra year and a half in a nursing home at around ten grand a month.

I have been getting my fitness motivation from the book ‘Play Fat, Lose Close, and Eat Whatever You Want – The Slacker’s Guide to a Successful Life”. No, not really, because that book doesn’t exist as near as I can tell, which is probably a good thing. Surprising though, since a great way to sell books is by telling people what they want to hear. The truth is that maintaining good health and fitness takes determination and discipline, and even though it isn’t always fun, the results are worth it. I have heard storied about old-school golf pros who would spend hour after hour hitting sand shots, practicing until their fingers bled, then they would bandage their hands and keep hitting until the blood would ooze through the bandages. Considering that, the thought of play fat, lose close and eat whatever you want sounds pretty good. But what if you could try just a little bit harder to improve your game, or eliminate bad habits?

How long does it take you to get your swing working properly after being off the course or driving range for a few months? I have definitely noticed a decrease in my flexibility and stamina since last fall, so I’m hoping I can get loosened up soon. Feel free to drop a comment below and join the conversation.

That’s all the time I have for now, I have a book to go write.