It’s rewarding when life moments click together as they’re meant to, when we allow them to do so. As a certified coach with Peak Performance Mind Coaching (Tim Kremer), I facilitate emotional training that precedes the mental training (emotions precede thoughts which precede physical motions). Being able to own an emotion into a golf shot (or life moment) instead of bringing in an inherited one not by choice can truly be empowering… and trained. The following tips can serve as a catalyst to helping golfers and people derive more satisfaction of their golf and everyday activities.
- Pre-Shot Routines can simple or complex (keep within pace of play!) and include both concepts that are seen and unseen. Paramount to executing a physical motion (swing), one must be in an emotionally stable and in a good place from which to play. Sometimes someone ‘just knows and feels’ it’s going to be a good shot; everything feels just right and one has a ‘green light’ to launch. Other times it just ‘feels wrong’ but one goes ahead anyway, with feelings of uncertainty, dread or anxiety, just to name a few. The good news is that with training, we can learn to choose how we want to feel. No one can make us feel anything (perceived pressure, fear, joy)… that’s totally up to us as individuals. It’s pretty cool when the positive emotion is chosen over the negative – good things start to happen more and more!
- Every moment we spend pushing against something, the less time there is to focus on the positive solution. You can’t be in the middle of a problem without also being in the process of the solution. The emotion one feels lets us know if one is still messing with the problem or open to the solution. Allowing something to happen rather than forcing it can bring about quicker and more enjoyable results. Grinding away at something (i.e. a move that is unnatural to one’s body movement patterns) interferes with the natural movement – find what works best for YOU, not something that works for someone else.
- Disallow fear, panic and ‘knee-jerk’ reactions – resistance will wear us out! Did you know our brain sends 6 trillion chemical reactions into our bodies every moment (each in direct response to repetitive and mostly subconscious thoughts, emotions and beliefs)? Did you know the average human thinks 60,000 thoughts per day (there are 86,400 seconds in a day)? An ‘emotional reaction’ is accompanied by chemical reactions that leak throughout our bodies. Each thought immediately and simultaneously sends a chemical signal into the body and its cells. The feelings we get show our flow and ease or our tension, resistance or dis-ease. When a part of us begins to relax, the rest of the body does as well. When a part of us begins to clench, the rest of the body does as well. Wouldn’t it be nice to increase the nice-feeling endorphins more often during a round? I use a very cool ‘check-in’ scale with students to help them maneuver their emotional waters. The scale lists 9 levels of positive emotion found in peak performance (i.e. curiosity, understanding, acceptance, faith, enthusiasm, appreciation, serenity). The scale also lists 9 negative emotions found in poor performance, tension, moodiness, victimization (i.e. doubt, annoyance, frustration, guilt, self-criticism, fear, anger/blame, rage, despair). Learning how to climb the ladder into the positive emotions step-by-step will empower one towards more fulfilling golf.
Take a moment to recall or listen to the refrain from Take It Easy by the Eagles. I hope the words and maybe even the song’s rhythm will guide you in your golf game towards more enjoyable rounds!
For more information and golf tips, visit www.nicoleweller.com.
Take it easy, take it easy
Don’t let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
don’t even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand and take it easy.
