Jordan Spieth (Photograph by Erik Charlton, Creative Commons).
William “Bud” Hart, of Haverhill, shares “Success Principles”—ideas for living a greater, better and more accomplished life, and building habits that stick. He also coaches clients to incorporate strategies for boosting their mental and physical performance during everyday living.
What can a moment and a thought be worth?
It’s a Sunday afternoon, the weekend is winding down. I turn on the TV in time to see Jordan Spieth finish the last two holes of the 2016 Masters Golf Tournament.
At the time I was not aware that he had taken a commanding lead in the tournament playing an aggressive first nine holes. Then on the second nine he gave it all away, with a monumental meltdown in his thinking, his focus and his aggressiveness.
He lost the tournament badly.
On Monday I read that at the end of his first nine holes Spieth, at age 22, was on his way to becoming the youngest player in the Masters era to claim three majors, win two Masters in only three appearances and was on the verge of earning a host of other prestigious ranks in golf history.
Instead, Jordan Spieth made a different kind of history. A chronicle initiated with a moment in time and a thought that will haunt Jordan Spieth for the rest of his life.
In an article for Mens Health, Dr. Sian Beilock, and a professor of psychology at the University of Chicago, refers to golf as a five-hour opportunity to choke, because you have so much time between plays to ruminate.
Indeed the mind can be a most formidable opponent. But it also can be trained to be a greatest friend and asset for everyone, in everything from golf to business, no matter how much time you have to ponder. That means practicing for every conceivable situation and doing it over and over again.
It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of a thought (good or bad) and Jordan Spieth proved it once again.
If you want to know how much a moment and a thought can be worth, just ask Jordan Spieth.
William “Bud” Hart writes at WHAV.net where he shares “Success Principles” ideas for living a greater, better and more accomplished life and building positive habits that stick. He also coaches clients to incorporate strategies for boosting your mental and physical performance into everyday living.