Line up your putt from the hole

All golfers will tell you that to really know a person well, play a round of golf with him and you'll see his true colors. Golf brings out the best and worst in people in a span of four hours because of the nature of the game - happiness, frustration, competition, people skills, mental skills etc - these are things we face in our lives and they're compacted into a 4 hour 18-hole session.

My post today is to talk about the part of our lives on the putting green. The objective of golf is to get the ball in the hole. The putt is the last part of every hole and yet is the most important one.

Anyway, when we putt, we normally look at our ball and then we look towards the hole. We then try to hit the ball into the hole. Like life, we improve our chances by:
- visualizing the ball going in - developing a mental picture
- review the terrain - understand your surroundings
- practice the putt - developing experience and skills

The other day, as I was about to putt, an old friend and golf veteran said "You missed out a very important part. Instead of standing over your ball and trying to get the ball into the hole, you should walk over to the hole and then look to where your ball is. It is clearer when you can see your ball relative to the hole, and not just the other way round"

As I listened to that piece of advice and did that over the next few holes, I pondered on the wisdom of those words.

So often, we set goals in our lives and then we keep moving towards the goals. Some of the time we get there but often with some pain and some luck. And often, it's a challenge. But when you do make it there, you look back and then it seems easier. You think of all the things you could have done to make it quicker, faster and easier if only you had done them.

Ah the benefit of retrospect.

Instead of setting goals by trying to get to where we want to go, why can't we visualize that we are already where we want to be (ie standing over the hole) and then look back at where we are (ie looking towards our ball) and then decide how the ball should come to you?

The most difficult part about this is visualizing where we want to be. And if you can't imagine that, how will you know when you get there?

In golf, I have 18 tries to get it in the hole in the first putt.

Home Alone

I made a pact with myself. Instead of waiting to be inspired, I will do like what other bloggers do.. just write something until something inspiring comes along. That way my blog can have a life.. so here goes..

Tonite I am home alone. First time in a while because Jen's normally the one at home. Since she has dinner plans tonite, I'm on night duty with Caitlin. As a 4 month old, she's been well trained to go to bed by 10.00pm, which is a far cry from the days when she'll cry incessantly at 12am. Now she can't wait to be put down.

It's quite nice to be at home too. I watched 4 1-hour series in 2.5 hours. Watching TV is no fun with me because I am a compulsive channel switcher.

Been reading a book titled "Blink". It's very intruiging because it tells us what we already know - that we make impulsive judgements about everything in life. Love at first sight is such an example. The book is quite complete because it discusses about how sometimes our first instincts can be a manifestation of something our subconscious is trying to tell us. On the other hand, it also tells how we're all products of discrimination and pre-judgements, which means that those first instincts are based on us stereotyping whatever that we see. Like when we see an older not-so-good looking man going out with a supermodel lookalike, then she's a mistress and she's after his money.

If you ask me now whether I make premature judgements on people, this is what I will say: I strive never to judge someone based on first impressions and to always to give them the benefit of the doubt, except when they look like a crook or smell like a snake.

So how was that nonsensical banter? Maybe I'll learn to post photos later.