If you’re like most serious players, you’re constantly thinking about what you can do to become better. Indeed, more than that, you’re likely doing targeted things to help yourself along in the direction of this state of “becoming better”.
You’re probably regularly hitting buckets at the driving range. Or, practicing on the putting range. Or, taking lessons with a teaching pro. Or, watching the newest swing instruction video. Or, reading the latest mental game book. Or, purchasing the newest engineered irons, driver, or putter.
But stop for a moment and think here; think purposefully about the following: Where is all this training, instruction and practice ultimately supposed to take you? Do you even know? Or, is it just a case where you’d say “Uh, it’s uh, supposed to make me ‘better’ “.
Ok. But what does this state of “better” mean? What does it entail - and entail for you? How do you know when you’re there? Do you see a change? Feel a change? Notice a change in your round play? Notice decided feedback and commentary from your foursome partners that you’re improving, and becoming more efficient?
And, does “better” mean shaving 1 or 2 strokes off your handicap? Does it mean you finally learned how to smoothly chip from the fringe so your ball lands near the pin? Does it mean you can play out of bunkers with some distance and direction? Does it mean you’ve developed a sense of increased confidence and control with your short game?
What does “better” mean to, and for…you?! Is it something you feel? Something you see? Or something you become?
Look At It In A New Way Now
Well, we can certainly define particular aspects of this state of “better”, such as:
A.)-It lies ahead of you, in the future.
B.)-It entails increased performance efficiency.
C.)-It entails seeing and experiencing enhanced playing results. -
D.)-It entails feeling increased degrees of competence and ability.
E.)-It entails doing things with greater command and effectiveness than
you’ve done them before.
Now, if we could take A - E and blend it all together in a transformational golfing performance “blender”, what do you think we’d have? We’d have you in the future as the kind of player you really want to be!
The point? You must fully define what better is for you, not just leave the nebulous idea of “better” as what you hope/assume your practice efforts will provide you. I.e., when you either are, or reflect, this state of “better”:
–What will you think?
–What will you feel?
–What will you expect?
–What will you do?
–How will you do it?
–What kind of results will you produce with individual shots,
and playing related situations you face?
–How will your overall game (i.e., feeling, performance, score, etc.) be different?
Answering these questions, then “blending” them together collectively literally IS the state of “better”, and what better means to you!
Answering These Questions Through The Power Of Your Imagination
You could write down your answers for each of the preceding questions. Or, you could establish a subconscious imaginative model or representation of this future “better” you.
And, doing the latter, you’ll then also define where your practice efforts will be taking you, and establishing a framework giving direction and purpose to - and for - all your lessons and practice involvements.
When you can inwardly see what better means to you through structuring a model of what you anticipate it will look like, feel like, and be like - then you literally pave the sensory and neurological way for getting better (and improving), to become the literal fact of your life. (Re-read this paragraph so you’re sure to fully grasp its meaning!)
So, here’s an easy to apply process you can use to sensory structure what “better” specifically means to you (in a manner where you then naturally become eagerly inclined toward physically developing, and reflecting, its comprehensive scope.)
Sensory Detailing Your Playing Realm Of “Better”
There’s a poignant law of life which states “energy naturally moves toward what is pleasurable (desired), and away from what is painful (i.e.: negatives, things that are unsettling, etc.)
The idea of wanting to improve has moved you to practice, take lessons, watch videos, read books, etc. And again I ask you “What exactly are all your practice, development, and improvement efforts supposed to do for you; where are they specifically supposed to lead you?” “Uh, well”, you may say “they’re supposed to make me ‘better’ “.
Ok. What is better. What is better for you? How (specifically) will you know when you are it? (Or when you’ve achieved it? Or when you are there?)
But, when you subconsciously define (and ingrain) what you as the embodiment of better is, then, a naturally committed enthusiasm leads you on in all your practice/development/
improvement efforts. You deeply sense - indeed, know - where your efforts will lead you. And your natural excitement to get there (and belief that you will) purposefully moves you continually along your practice/improvement way.
Then your practice/development efforts feel wholly justified and targeted; then you approach all your skill development/improvement efforts with a determined sense of mission!
The first step in paving the sub-conscious road into “better” is as follows:
–In an area where you won’t be distracted, lie comfortably upon your back on
either your bed, the floor, or stretched out in a reclining chair. Let your eyelids gently close down, and inhale 3 easy l-o-n-g, d-e-e-p breaths - - inhaling easily through your nostrils, and comfortably exhaling through your mouth.
–Next, consider the following question: “If you had the ability to create the future of yourself as a player, what would you be doing, and how would you be doing it?”
- Next, create vivid, detailed sets of mental scenarios specifically defining this. For example: How would you swing your driver on your tee shot at a par 5, 505 yard hole? What would your irons play be like from 100 yards in? How would you chip toward the flag stick from the fringe seven yards off the putting green? How would you analyze, set up to, and execute long range putts? etc.
- Take your time here, and vividly, lucidly envision numerous playing related scenarios of you all detailing you embodying - and reflecting - the completed state of “better” - that all your practice/development/improvement efforts have resulted in producing:
- S-e-e all of what’s involved.
- F-e-e-l all of what’s involved.
– P-h-y-s-i-c-a-l-l-y experience all of what’s involved.
– E-m-o-t-i-o-n-a-l-l-y experience all of what’s involved.
Deeply sense your performance smoothness, confidence, and fluid control with each shot you imaginatively play. Notice your degree of decisiveness, sureness, steadiness, strength, and natural inclination toward precision execution, and excellence. F-e-e-l your mind and body moving in balanced, flowing synchronicity through each phase of your back swing, down swing, contact, and follow through with every stroke you imaginatively play.
Sense a deep inner knowing that you will accomplish what you want to with each shot…and then you doing this - specifically. Notice the consistency of confidence, and swing motion proficiency you execute from shot to shot - - doing all of what you need to, in exactly the way you know you should.
–[*Also notice and experience how you think about yourself and your ability;
notice how you expect to succeed, and do well, and naturally move your ball to your pre-determined outcome point with every shot you play. ]
- Feel free to imaginatively project different playing related shots, situations and during round aspects each time you engage this “Paving The Subconscious Road Into ‘Better’ ” programming. (Especially those your current practice efforts are specifically geared toward improving or developing.)
Remember: The key is to keep richly sensory defining yourself the comprehensive embodiment of “better” — and you as “better”. This, of course, includes numerous different aspects and playing involved elements. So strive to include new and different targeted aspects (i.e. different shots, angles, situations, course terrain challenges, etc.) each time you perform this process.
- Next, after you’ve gone through this structuring and graphic sensory defining of
“better” - and you the embodiment of “better”( the clear future representation of all your practice and development efforts having advanced your ability, and notably enhanced your mental and physical skill) then, do the following finalizing reinforcement/motivational integration step:
- Imagine yourself standing in front of a full length mirror as this future you.
Clearly notice the look upon your face, your body posture, the look in your eyes — and what your facial expression seemingly communicates to the whole world about you, your ability, and what you now believe you’re capable of as a player.
Yes, just let yourself poignantly notice how you see yourself, and feel about your ability as this future you…now. And let all these positive feelings of esteem, self-belief, confidence, and competence fill you - and freely flow through the whole of your mind and body.
- Next, feeling literally flooded with these feelings and sensations of self validating belief and confidence, imaginatively look into the eyes of yourself you see reflected in the mirror. And, with conviction and decisiveness, say to yourself “My practice efforts steadily lead me to be this me - yes — this me of capable, confident efficiency and skill. What I’ve just imaginatively experienced is what my committed practice and improvement efforts ultimately produce - in me, for me…and as me.
“What I’ve just envisioned is what I am steadily, decisively becoming; it’s what
my diligent practice is building and cultivating as truth - my performance truth…now!”
- Next, momentarily savor all the good and positive feelings you experience vitally streaming through you. And then, let your attention shift so you focus on your breathing. Inhale a long, slow, and d-e-e-p refreshing breath, slowly let your eyelids open, exhale slowly through your mouth…and s-t-r-e-t-c-h.
You’ve now established (and etched) a subconscious framework linking your practice efforts toward producing a well defined performance end result. Each time you perform this process you more-so subconsciously pave your individual “road” into “better”. Yes - - you more thoroughly motivate yourself to sustain quality, diligent practice efforts through the reinforced belief in this future (masterful) you as real, viable - and the natural, collective by-product of your practice and development efforts!
Instructions To Ensure You Maximize Your Paving
The Subconscious Road Into “Better” Programming
Use the upcoming factors as application guidelines for this process:
I suggest you perform this process regularly in the evenings, at a time after the major activities of your day have been completed. Be sure you’re in a quiet, secluded area where you will not be disturbed. (i.e., take your phone off the ‘hook”, hang a Do Not Disturb sign, etc.)
Each session should take roughly 10 - 14 minutes to complete (hardly a high price to pay for the positive progress and improvement impact results performing this process will afford you).
Take your time, don’t rush, and you’ll steadily come to find you’re ever more-so efficient at performing the process. And, you’ll come to experience a strengthened sense of purpose to improve, increased confidence, increased sense of control, and the experience of decided skill enhancement continue to unfold through your regular application of this process as outlined!
I always break golf’s mental game into two distinct aspects:
A.) The on course decisions you make, and pre-shot strategies you use.
B.) Off-course subconscious programming efforts to bolster, help improve,
and/or advance your success in certain playing related situations.
This Paving The Subconscious Road Into “Better” process falls into realm B.)
Sensing positive direction, and a solid idea of the type of overall results your practice efforts will afford you, always fosters an empowering inner state, and natural motivation to continue diligent practice.
What is all your good and determined practice supposed to ultimately do for you? Well, through engaging this process, now you’ll know. And you’ll know in such a way that will make
each practice session seem like a skill forging and refining step higher up upon the staircase toward decisive overall improvement.
You’ll know where you’re going. You’ll come to look at what you’re doing (i.e., practice/improvement/development efforts) as the “what you should be doing” steps that ultimately get you there. And you’ll come to sense what to expect awaits you when you get there.
And so now, you truly know what the word “better ” means; better get ready then for your next practice session today!
Powerhouse self-help author, life transformation seminar leader, private clinician, and national TV therapist, Pete Siegel is the country’s foremost sports and peak performance hypnotherapist. He’s also a member of Golf Digest’s Top 25 Mental Practitioners list. You can review his acclaimed PowerMind© national best selling life and mega-success building programs, including Building Super Confidence, Success Mind-Sets, Suoper Mental Toughness For Golf, Bringing Forth The Zone (golf), Using Your Stress To Fuel Your Success!, Living Invincibly Positive, and Winning At Life, at http://www.incrediblechange.com