So we are back to the beginning of the year (soon)....New Year's Resolutions and all that Jazz. But how long do your typical resolutions last? If you are like most people, yours probably last a few weeks, maybe even a month or so. So why do you quit or give up?
Here are a couple of things to consider to make lasting changes or new habits:
(1) Make your desire to change A MUST.
Examples: You MUST improve your putting. You MUST improve your fitness or nutrition. You MUST see your coach every 10 days or so.
When your desire is a "should", it is real easy to cop out and quit. It's not a big deal to give up. But when your desire is a MUST, you have no other choice. Think about if your doctor says that you "should" cut back on sugar or quit smoking. Do you? Not a chance. But what if your doctor says, you "MUST" otherwise you are going to die. You have no choice. Obviously, no one is going to die on the golf course, but the point is to make your change a MUST!!!
(2) Little victories win in the long run. Jack Nicklaus did not win 18 majors overnight. It has taken an entire career of small victories to amass this great feat. The key to moving forward is momentum and with a bunch of little victories, it is a bit easier to get the energy needed to stay on course. For example, if you want to improve your stroke average by 4 shots, you should definitely celebrate when you knock off one stroke. Keep celebrating with every stroke or fraction of a stroke until you meet your goal. Celebrate the little victories and the process!
(3) Challenge your beliefs. Look at any weight loss program and you will see people living in a new environment for weeks to months at a time. They learn how to exercise and which foods to eat. They are constantly challenging their beliefs about themselves and how they react to their environment. Everybody achieves their goal and loses weight in that environment.
Not that you need to move into a golf academy for a month, but you might need to change your paradigms to make new habits and ultimately lasting improvements. If your practice methods are not producing results, then change how you practice. Challenge your belief about practice and change your paradigm! If you want to improve your first tee shot of a round, challenge your belief about that shot and change your paradigm.
Don't be another Resolution Dodger this coming 2012! Consider the points on making new habits and lasting changes. If you don't like a certain aspect of your game, do something about it. Thanks for reading!
Regards,
Steven
