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Should Life Imitate Golf?

A Golf Lesson with a Life Lesson

Harvey Penick was a golf teacher and the author of Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book. Mr. Pennick is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.  As a teaching pro, he coached an impressive list of Hall of Fame playing pros.  So, at first glance, you would assume correctly that it’s a book about golf.

Let’s remember that golf is a game that requires exceptional discipline and focusLife skills, like golf skills, are never fully mastered.  And pursuing success in life is more effective with discipline and focus. So I share this excerpt from The Little Red Book as it presents a powerful concept that you can apply to enhancing your self-leadership.

Little Red Book Cover
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Take Dead Aim

An Excerpt from Harvey Penick's Little Red Book

For golfers who might not understand Texas talk, let me put the advise in my telegram a different way.  Once you address the golf ball, hitting it has to be the most important thing in your life at that moment. Shut out all other thoughts. Pick out the target and take dead aim.  Everybody gets nervous on the first tee.  Take dead aim. This is a wonderful thought to keep in mind all the way around the course.

Golf AimNot just on the fairway or on the green. Take dead aim at the spot on the fairway or on the green. Refuse to allow any negative thought to enter your mind and swing away.

A high handicapper will be surprised at how often the mind will pick you up and ball will get to the target even with a far less than perfect swing.  The expert player won’t be surprised.  The expert expects to hit the target.  The only surprise here is the expert sometimes allows disorganized thinking to make him or her become distracted from the primary object of the shot.  Which is to hit the target.

I can’t say it too many times.  It’s the most important advise in this book.  Take dead aim.

Make it a point to do every time in every shot and in every endeavor. Don’t just do from time to time when you happen to remember. Make it a habit.  Take dead aim!

Beyond the Golf Course: Self Leadership

Harvey Penick thought he was a golf teacher. Aristotle couldn’t have put it any better than that.  Is it possible that the most important advise in the book may be the most important advise you can apply to your life?  Allow me to ask…

How is Your Aim?

  • What is the most important thing on your agenda today?
  • Are distractions getting you to take your eye off the ball?
  • What would it take for you to take dead aim with your most important goal?
Target

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