Money and success are like a game; you have to know the rules and practice.
So let me compare my favorite pastime – golf – to the game of money.
To be good in golf – there is no doubt that you have to “practice”. Consistent good rounds of golf and a low handicap are the rewards for good practice.
Most casual golfers don’t take the time to go for lessons or go to the driving range.
They play once in awhile and expect (and have very bad self-talk, instead of fun) to have the perfect shots and get a low score.
It never works.
They may get lucky on a few holes but it definitely catches up with them on the next one…
Here’s that definition of insanity once again; If you do the same thing – you get the same results.
The same is true when it comes to money and success.
Were you handed the playbook and rules of money when you were a kid? How about when you left home?
If you are like me and so many others, we didn’t get that lesson.
We’ve had to learn by trial and error (lots of error) but once we got the rules and practiced managing our money, saving and setting goals… well it was a game changer for sure!
If you want to be able to live a lifestyle beyond where you are at right now then you’re going to have to learn some new skills and practice…. because when you know better – you do better!
Back to golf… for some of us ;), a low score is the ‘be all – end all’.
And that’s okay, because if it is, guess what we’re doing…?
You got it – practicing almost daily and golfing 3-5 times a week!
And trust me – you really have to love the game and enjoy what you’re doing to make that commitment.
That’s why in life and when it comes to money, you have to have a vision of what really lights you up and then build a plan to get there.
In golf we have to consciously measure our success on how well we play the shot, rather than where it finishes.
As soon as you measure success by the outcome of each shot, or hole, or round, you place yourself at the mercy of the golf course.
Not only will you feel more pressure before shots, you will be less present over shots (thinking about all the things that you need to do!).
You find yourself looking up too soon to see the result and then be relieved or angry depending on where it finishes!
Struggling in golf can be the same things you struggle with in life and money. Whenever you think you are starting to get good, in golf, the swing you thought you’d mastered becomes inconsistent and ineffective.
In life, you take action towards dream, only to fail.
The answer: consistency. Don’t give up and keep trying.
(If my golf game was consistent, hell I’d be on tour!)
A golf coach once gave me advice that’s made a huge difference in the consistency and improvement of my game; ease up and don’t swing so hard … relax your grip, let the club head fall naturally through your swing.
This is however counterintuitive. Why?
If you have a goal that you want to achieve and you really want it bad, usually your first inclination is to just dive into it without a plan, and the first hiccup, well it takes you out.
In golf if you wanted to hit the ball far you would wind up and swing with as much force as possible.
You golfers know what happens next … not a good shot. (In fact it usually goes about 5 feet!)
In golf as in life, sometimes you just need to go back and practice the basics, refresh your skills or learn new ones.
Welcome past mistakes or failures, without them we don’t grow, learn, or get a chance to do it differently.
You can change, you can learn, and you can even start over and try again.
If you try something and it doesn’t work, it’s okay, try something else.
If it’s not the thing that you are supposed to do… it will be the thing that leads to the thing. ♥
Believe, keep going, practice and your dreams will come true… ♥
Lots of love
