18 Aug What’s Your Story: “Golf Is A Game Of Recovery!”
You Deserve To Live an Extraordinary Life!
I was playing golf the other day with two close friends, Jeff and Derrick. While Jeff hit the ball with a fair degree of power, consistency and good direction, Derrick and I struggled a bit. We seemed to have a particular talent for hitting the ball in all directions except for our intended targets. I felt, at times, like the Woody Allen character in “Annie Hall” where he is trying to hit a lobster on the kitchen floor with a tennis racket. I frequently found myself hitting “recovery shots” through which I would attempt to correct my previous shot with a shot that would put me back on course.
Life, like golf, is a recovery game in some ways. We may intend to make something happen a certain way, but sometimes the result can be quite different from what we intended. For example, you prepare for a sales presentation, hoping to gain the contract. Unfortunately, you do not get the deal. Someone else got the contract. You now have several options:
- Lament and find someone to blame, e.g., your prospect was playing favorites, or maybe you’re just a loser. Once again you failed so why even try, nothing ever changes.
- Take an aggressive posture: “That guy was just a jerk. I’ll show him. I’ll get other contracts. After all, success is the best revenge!”
- Or, learn and improve form your experience. Get back in touch with your vision and get re-energized. Practice kind self-talk and evaluate the situation objectively. For example, “I think I did a good job making contact and establishing a relationship, but I could have pushed myself harder to confront the real issue with my prospect. Was he feeling a loyalty to stay with a long term vendor or was he really open for a whole new level of service with someone new? I don’t have to just be nice here. Even if I don’t leave with the contract, at least I had the courage to probe for the truth!”
Though there are many different perspectives and paths one could take in face of a “bad shot,” most people take one of three basic paths: that of the Victim, Survivor or Navigator. Victims usually feel powerless and drift through life blaming others for their misfortunes. Survivors fight and struggle and often achieve their goals but usually do not feel totally in control or satisfied. Navigators stay focused on their goals, work out plans, and unrelentingly blaze trails toward their destinations. They often miss their shots but they are brilliant at making a good recovery shots and getting back on track.
Navigators face just as many obstacles and problems as their fellow Victims and Survivors. The difference is that the Navigator faces these challenges with vision and focus, employing a problem-solving approach, a sense of humor, strong discipline, and recovery. Rather than lamenting or venting about their mistakes and failure, the Navigator learns from them and does something different the next time he is in a similar situation.
Do you think you may be a Navigator? Take my free “Navigating For Success” Questionnaire and find out.
Postscript: I spent some time today in my garage practicing my golf swing. I was supposed to meet my friend Frank at his golf course but the rain washed away that opportunity. I must admit, though, I hit some pretty brilliant imaginary recovery shots in my garage. I think I am ready to get back on a real course and see what I have really learned about hitting my targets and recovering from my mistakes.
If you would like to learn more about Navigating For Success and Living an Extraordinary Life, you can order my book “Navigating For Success: Passion, Goals and Action.” Sign up below to receive future posts by email.