Sam Goulden Golf Blog

In our lives, we are either on the track toward achieving our goals or we are off.  It often seems easy to let our path show itself:  to wait for opportunities to come our way.  This type of lifestyle was defined by “Dharma Bums” of the 60’s and 70’s.  Taking each day as it comes and making the most out of the current situation is fun and it can be rewarding in that we are always “living in the moment”.  But, if you could create your own fate, make your future, get on track and scream down the road to a goal, wouldn’t that be rewarding in a great way?There will be people in your life that seem to be on that track.  They set a goal and do all the right things to achieve it.  Others set a goal and do nothing.  Still some will set no goal.  The people you know who have achieved greatness in their lives have no doubt had a plan and stuck to it.  We are all moving as time goes on.  Wouldn’t you like to be moving ever closer to your goal with each passing second?  I know that I want that for myself and when I am around others that have that same desire it becomes almost expected.  If you have a goal, figure out what it’s going to take to get there and get on track.  You are your own engine screaming down the tracks of life.  Lets get that train going in the right direction. 

I’ve been fighting this battle lately in golf.  It is one that has plagued my golfing career and held me back from achieving my goals.  See, I tend to be a tortoise rather than a hare on the golf course and that keeps me from going for the green on a par five or aiming at the pin with a wedge in hand.  I tend to out-think myself and end up making the safe play.  It keeps me close to par but I rarely post a low number.  The best round of golf I have ever played was in a best ball format.  I played aggressively knowing that there was someone there to back me up.  I had five birdies and two eagles in 18 holes.  Your math doesn’t have to be that great to know that I would have posted a really low number that day.   Lately I have been fighting my instincts a bit.  I have the opportunity to play in some mini-tour events and am being really cautious about it.  Luckily, I have the support of a great friend who is unwilling to let me go at it in my typical manor.  I have always been inspired to do great things but have rarely put my back against the wall.  I have been careful to have a back up plan in case of failure and this back up plan has always been the outcome of my efforts.  This time I will make no such provision.  I will put everything on the line and bet it all on me.  I have put in the time and effort necessary and now is the time to put myself to the ultimate test.  Shall I fail, I will create a new plan.  But there is no back up plan this time.  It’s all or nothing.  Find something to love and put everything on the line for it.  I assure you that there is nothing that will take your breath away the way this commitment will.  Don’t let your actions define you. Make sure it is you who is defining your actions.