Winning Is Much Easier - When You Know Who You Are!

What could Golfers and Four Kinds of Horses Have In Common?

In the book, Golf Three Noble Truths, the author, James Ragonnet speaks to a famous Eastern parable.

The parable describes four different kinds of horses: excellent, good, poor, and bad. The excellent horse responds as soon as it sees the moving shadow of the driver’s whip. The good horse responds when it senses the first touch of the whip. The poor horse responds when it feels the sting of the whip. And the bad horse responds only when it feels the lash of the whip deep in the marrow of its bones.

Our biggest job, in golf and in life, perhaps, is to find out who we really are.

One of the greatest harms we can inflict on ourselves is to trick ourselves into believing we are someone we are not. When we muster the courage to look at ourselves clearly and honestly, we make it possible to grow. Our golf game will allow us to learn what kind of “horse” we really are.
Whatever our level of golf, or where we are at in our lives, that is our real golf-self, life-self - at that moment. Our now, it has no past and no future. That is also our strength, even if we are not very good at golf. If we delude ourselves into thinking that we are an excellent or good golfer, when we are not, then we will stagnate. Then we will be in-congruent, and as in life - we will stop learning, stop growing.

Also, like in life, we need to be willing to accept responsibility for every response, every feeling - our thoughts and our words.

The parable is not about striving harder to become the best golfer you can be. The message here is about seeing yourself clearly and honestly. Seeing yourself honestly will inspire you to work harder, be honest with yourself and experience the power of congruency. Your real (golf) identity is who you are right now. Admit it and go on from there. To know and to honor your true (golf) identity is essentially to make peace with yourself. Knowing your true golf identity is the first step in fulfilling your potential in golf. We only grow when we become an honest observer of ourselves.

Finding out what kind of horse you really are is something we have to do on our own. What we take from the golf course, what we get and take from other people - is an individual experience of the now we are in.
Here is what I know for sure; I am a good horse, striving for excellence in the now. I have the heart of a thoroughbred and one of most congruent people most people know. I am always learning - always growing. And at 54, I know I can learn from young and old, black or white - wrong or right, and I am coachable.

What are your "I am" statements and incantations? Do you know who you are? Are you coachable?

For me, I know I don't need the sting of the whip. I live in a state of grace and appreciation, and strive for execllence. - The finish line, for me, the win, is to know that I made a difference.

Yes, I am Lucky. – Lucky? Oh yes, when preparedness and opportunity meet!

How about you! How do you win?