Dealing With Frustration
By Jonathan Massey. October 7, 2022.
Two years ago, I picked up the sport of golf. If you have ever golfed before, you already know exactly how frustrating the sport can be. If you have never played, let me walk you through how my first few holes went the last time I played. The first hole, I hit an absolutely beautiful tee shot; might have been the best tee shot of my life. Next shot, I put it within 15 feet of the hole and was then able to hit my birdie shot for 1 under par. On the next hole, the tee shot went into the woods and I had to take a drop since I couldn’t find the ball. The next shot went into the water and again, I had to take a drop. Next shot sailed over the green. Once I got back onto the green, I 3-putted to finally be done with that miserable hole. The next 2 holes went very similarly. So, it was incredibly frustrating to go from playing one of the best holes, to being unable to play up to my standards.If golf is so frustrating, why do I play? I think I ask myself this question at least a dozen times a round – Ha! But truth be told, I play because I like the challenge of trying to improve. It’s the same feeling I used to get when I trained. It’s the same feeling I get when I finally figure out how to help a young man improve. I love to be challenged!Next time you are feeling frustrated, I implore you to think of it as a challenge. For example, if you think, “I don’t throw hard enough,” try to think of what is keeping you from throwing harder. Is it arm pain? Is it mechanical efficiency? Is it not having enough skill-specific strength? There could be a multitude of reasons why you don’t throw hard enough or are unable to (insert current constraint here). However, once you do figure it out, treat it like a challenge to be embraced.Do I get frustrated playing golf? Absolutely! I’ve thrown a club or 2 and I’ve shouted many 4-letter words, but I continue to challenge myself to play slightly better or to improve “X” part of my game. That has worked for me time and time again, and I believe it can work for you as well.
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