The Secret of The Game Is...

About 30 years ago I moved into my brother’s flat in Cambridge with plans to buy a house. He was made redundant (laid off). He bought a new set of golf clubs figuring that in his time off, he could at least improve his golf game. 

This annoyed him.  He felt he should look for work right away.  That too much time unemployed would make him lazy or work-shy or something equally bad.  But he wanted to take his time and choose his next step, not just fall into the next thing. 

He took me to the driving range - I was allowed to use his old clubs, not the new ones.  He would tell me, 'The secret of the game is consistency.'  The aim is to make every swing the same so that you can then begin to control where the ball lands. 

During the time he was redundant, we bought a larger TV (he needed something to do whilst not playing golf), and bought a 3 bedroom house.  He started his business from one of those rooms.  We barely had central heating - you had to turn off all the radiators in the house just to get one radiator to emit heat.  I would come home in the evening and he'd be shivering. 

Eventually, we got the house updated, he rented an office in a nearby village and the business was off and running.  He started with nothing and built a nice big something and is now looking forward to a possible 'early retirement'. 

His secret?  Consistency. The way he deals with business relationships - consistent.  The way he approaches new ideas and opportunities - consistent. 

There's a real simple beauty in this.  Something like “slow and steady wins the race.”  And I can't help but think that there is an opportunity for me to pick up this quality.

Disciplines help to keep us consistent.  In perfecting a golf swing, you have to get your stance right, your grip right, your swing motion right.  It requires the discipline of practice and plenty of determination to reach perfection.  And then zeal and enthusiasm allow you to enjoy the game.

I never had an appreciation for golf.  But, for the first time, today I do.

- - - - - -Ross Galán, NLP Spiritual Life Coach
Spiritual Life Coaching School