Learning is a lifelong pursuit. Each and every day, like it or not, we acquire new knowledge and hopefully are the better for it.
If that sounds awkward and uncomfortable, consider the alternative. Living is learning and learning is living. The two go hand in hand. Stop learning and you’re going to be stuck in a loop of disappointment.
I found myself in one such loop with my golf swing. I won’t bore you with too much detail, but it was really bad. Seriously.
Sadly, my subpar skills were not for lack of trying. I had countless well-intentioned individuals try to instruct me. Their helpful tips like “keep your eye on the ball”, “adjust your grip”, and “shift your stance” just had little to no impact, aside from adding a different degree of awkwardness to my swing.
That all changed about a year ago when I found myself once again swinging away with little impact aside from the entertainment value, that is until I made one simple but crucial adjustment. I moved to the other side of the tee box.
It was admittedly a low-stakes situation. Still, before my first left-handed swing, I said a quick prayer for all those now within striking distance of an errant ball, took a deep breath, adjusted my grip, shifted my stance, pulled the club back, kept my eye on the ball, and swung.
When the club connected not with air or turf but with the actual ball, it was a truly affirmative moment. Of course, one swing does not a left-handed golfer make, but after a few more it became clear that something had clicked.
The thing about this particular lesson is that I’d actually had the solution the whole time. Quite literally in hand. We spin our wheels (or rotator cuffs) trying to get a different result with a method that clearly isn’t working.
It’s funny how the simplest solutions are usually the best. Sometimes, we just have to get out of our own way.
Be Kind. Be Brave. Stay Awkward.
Listen to the Post
Onward & Awkward 