» Golfing for beginners

If you want to get this ball…

into this hole…

…which do you focus on?

More precisely, what do you focus on at the moment you hit the ball?

Almost all golfers get the answer right, because they’ve learnt from experience.
Only about 20% of non-golfers do. The answer is…

golfball2

the ball.

You are more likely to get the ball into the hole if you focus on the ball, not the hole. Of course, you have to know where the hole is, how far away it is, how big it is, what the intermediate terrain is like, the prevailing weather and so in. But once you’ve got that, focus on hitting the ball (the only thing that will affect the outcome) as best you can. Use the right iron, adopt the right attitude, and don’t make it up on the spur of the moment.

As illustrated by Rory McIlroy:

In business, you have to know what your objectives are, and how to get there but, if you focus on them, you’re likely to miss them. You need to put all your energy and effort into doing, as best you can, the only things you know will lead to your objective.

Work story: I met an mortgage broker some time ago. He was in a good mood: every serious meeting he had had with a prospective client during the year had turned into a successful sale. He had only two more appointments in the year – if they turned into sales, he’d have a 100% success record for the year.

Needless to say, he lost both sales. He had become more attached to the outcome than to the task in hand.

Know your objectives, for sure, but let go of your attachment to achieving them.

Learn more:
> Purpose and outcomes