If You Want It Bad Enough, You'll Do it

This is an epic post. Grab a cup of coffee first.

If you want something bad enough you will do whatever it takes to get there. Time is not a factor if you want it that bad. No videos today. It’s that time of year for me. Every September for the last 9 years my mind wanders back into my past and what happened to me. This is just me today, thinking out loud.

I thought I would get just a little bit personal today in the hopes that there may be a small message of motivation. Your motivation may or may not come to you depending upon how you interpret my story. This is one of those classics, and the moral to the story is…

Whatever you are doing and however you found me I do believe you are probably in a situation where this can apply. I am always referring back to this part of my life whenever things seem a little tough to me and I wonder if I can handle my present situation or if I feel I will never be successful at whatever my current endeavor is. I’ll try not to make it long. It has to do with golf of all things. Many of you probably just clicked away but for those who stay, I hope you can read between the lines and apply it to your life.

In 1989 I was very heavy into men’s softball. We played league and travelled to tournaments. I was a shortstop and still trying to live the old glory days. Almost every player on my teams played golf except me. I thought it was silly. I really thought it was silly when we travelled and played tournaments near the beach. All the guys would go play golf between games and I would lay out on the beach with all their wives while they were gone.

My wife was there too but that’s why you wear really dark shades and train your peripheral vision while not turning your head. I was pretty good at that all the while my buddies were on the links. In 1989 I tore cartilage while turning a double play. The noise was so loud other players heard it. I went down and my season was through. I had surgery and had a whole summer to recover.

The doctor ordered me to get some exercise and to walk a lot. I thought I would try this stupid game of golf and went to a driving range to hit some balls using whatever clubs the Pro Shop had I could borrow. I hit a couple buckets and low and behold I sort of liked it. I sprayed balls all over the range but I actually hit a few straight.

On my way home I stopped at K-Mart and bought a set of Dunlop starter clubs. I became a regular at the range and took the plunge of actually playing a round. I played by myself and took score the best way I knew and shot probably 150+. I was hooked. I had found my “White Man Crack”.

Jumping ahead 3 or 4 years… I joined a club, had a regular playing partner and would offer to sell my soul to the devil if only I could shoot 89 every once in a while in a legitimate fashion. Satan allowed me at times and now he owns 3 of my children I had to give up. I sure miss them.

I was smart enough to realize that playing by myself and with a playing partner who was no better than I was was getting me no where. I needed to play with better players. I needed a mentor. I naturally assumed that playing with better players, I would get better in theory. Problem was, who wanted to play with a hack like me?

I decided to get radical and go for broke. I identified the best player at our club. As a matter of fact, he was one of the best in North Carolina and one of the top amateurs in the nation. Club Champion, the whole package. He did not know I existed. I saw him on the range one day and like a little schoolgirl I approached him and introduced myself. This man was a Golfing God in my area and I was actually nervous.

He was our local Arnold Palmer. I asked him if he would teach me. I asked him if I could just watch and ask questions. I asked him if I could walk 20 yards behind him and watch him play a round. I asked if I could make a mortgage payment on his house and if I could find a way, if I could have his baby.

The answer was yes to all my questions. He eventually let me off the hook for having his baby. He became one of my closest friends. I engaged him in every bet and never backed down. I opened my wallet after every round and paid up. I always figured paying the bets were just paying for my lessons. He taught me everything he knew. I never veered from his teaching. If he said to do it one way, I would spend hours on the range trying to perfect it.

He taught me strategy. When to go for it and when to lay up. I hung on every word. Imagine all of the club members wondering how this nobody became a regular Saturday morning partner with one of the top players in the nation and could hardly break 90. I had a lot of people scratching their heads. I lived and breathed golf until September of 2000.

Let’s jump ahead again a few years. I became so focused that I would go to the range and practice one shot, one club for hours. If I had a 100 yard shot, I wanted to know if it was 100 yards or 103 yards. I would stand in front of trees and bend shots for hours on end. I knew what I wanted and I would not stop for anyone until I reached my goal. My goal was literally to rip the throat out of every player I came up against. I was your friend until we teed it up.

For 18 holes I wanted to embarrass you, take your money and leave you lifeless and discouraged. I never let up…ever. Yes, the student eventually beat the teacher every time but there was no joy in my victories with this man. I loved him like a Father and he was one proud Papa and told everyone he taught me everything I knew.

In September of 2000 I was on the 2nd hole at my club. In the middle of a 7 iron shot in my backswing, something happened to me in that very moment. The only thing I can say is that it was supernatural and unbelievable for anyone I’ve ever told. I walked up to the green and told my playing partner of 11 years that it’s over. When I’m through here today, my sticks are going to be put away most likely forever.

He thought I was joking. Ask him now, 9 years later if I was joking. I put it all away at the absolute height of my playing career with a bright future ahead. Every September I think about it, and it’s been on my mind again lately because it’s that time of year again. I walked away from the game with a +2 handicap. That’s 2 better than a scratch golfer. I was getting better and I feared no one but many feared playing me. I played in the most exclusive foursome of our county 3 times a week. We played PGA rules and there were no mulligans or do-overs. We loved each other for sure but it was 18 holes of as fierce of competition that you could ever want at amateur level. When the four of us showed up for tournaments, especially Captains Choice type events, everyone knew they were playing for second place. It was a fun time.

I walked away as I reached a peak, never knowing how good I was going to get or what I may have accomplished by today. Why did I do it? I’ll just say this. I had 2 children at home that missed their Dad. I had a 12 year old son that loved to fish and hang with his Pop.

Ok, the moral of my story to me. Maybe not to you. I have never once regretted my decision. It was the best and most important decision I’ve ever made in my life. I’m sure each and every one of you have made similar decisions if you are at least 40 years old. If you are not at least 40, don’t worry, your decision time will be coming. I could care less of what could have been. I care about what happened.

I proved to myself that if you want something bad enough and are willing to work for it, that over time, regardless of your current talent, you can achieve your goals. You just can’t quit and walk away too early before the magic happens. Let the magic happen, then make a decision.

Find a mentor in whatever you do. I truly appreciate my online mentors. It’s not hard to figure out who they are if you have been on this site long. Do not re-invent the wheel just yet. Follow their instructions exactly. Rinse and repeat. Someone will come along just like you, looking for help. Pay it forward. There is more joy in paying it forward than the actual act of whatever you practice. I promise you that. Does this sound like some of the folks you know in this little circle we travel in?

Now, I want you all to go out out and have a great day and think about what it is that you want so bad.

2009 BloggerLens.com

No related posts.