Setting Goals – Prioritizing Your Golf Improvement Program
Setting Goals is the first in the series, “Prioritizing Your Golf Improvement Program.”
This is how you achieve short and long-term success. As well as your enjoyment of golf is essential if you’re looking to rid yourself of the frustration you now experience. You must remember your goals, without a plan, are only dreams. This is a major cause of why you currently experience frustration with your golf swing mechanics. As you set goals, realize you are creating a flexible plan for success. It does include understanding your objectives and the variables that may contribute or deny you the success you desire. This is true whether you are setting goals for your improvement or your performance.
Why Do You Play Golf?
I ask all new clients 2 very important questions. The first question is the most important, “Why do you play golf?” The 2nd question is “What do you ultimately want to achieve as a golfer?”
Answers vary but most of the time provide a general insight into a client’s desires. The obvious follow-up question? “How do you plan to achieve your goals and maintain the reason why you play?” Most clients answer this question with no specific detail; no plan to obtain their desired outcome. If there aren’t specific tasks within a flexible plan, can you realistically anticipate achieving your desired objectives? No matter what industry or sport, setting goals must include specific yet realistic tasks. There should be a timeline. And both the tasks and timeline need flexibility to bend and mold as progress allows. Golf is no different.
How to go about Setting Goals
With most of my private clientele, I provide them a form, similar to the pyramid depicted within this post, and ask the client to put the ultimate goal they want to achieve at the top of the pyramid. Next I ask any long-term goals they think will allow them to reach the ultimate success. Typically, these are the items most everyone can envision, but fail to devise a plan to achieve.
After filling in the top two layers of the pyramid, the tough part begins. What will the bottom foundational level of your Success Pyramid look like? And how will it support the long term goals you have in mind? Setting goals at the foundational level is your first priority to achieving the success you desire as a golfer.
At this phase of setting goals, I typically ask the client how much time and effort they’re willing to commit to obtaining their ultimate goal. Based upon their answer is how we jointly fill in the blanks of their pyramid. Starting at the bottom and working our way to the top.
An Invitation
I invite you to determine your ultimate goal as a golfer and begin the process of setting your goals for improvement. Use your own Success Pyramid. Fill in the top block first. Then work from the bottom up, setting realistic and achievable goals.
The bottom layers must contain the simplest of items providing foundational support to the upper levels. As this series progresses, we’ll continue to discuss how you can set realistic goals. And how you can use your Success Pyramid productively to achieve your goals.
At any time, feel free to share your experiences. As well as what your ultimate goal(s) as a golfer. Your comments on Facebook and Twitter are always welcome. Be sure to include questions, photos, or videos. Your real life situations we can address in this series. In turn, bringing more meaning to you.