In a recent interview, PGA tour player Jason Gore was asked about the 2005 U.S. Open, where he shot a dismal 84 during the final round and lost the tournament.  Instead of dwelling on emotions, playing conditions, or excuses, Gore simply offered, “I try not to let my performance on the golf course define me and who I am.”

I love his philosophy.  One the one hand, you can view failure as failure.  He had fallen short and that was that.  But behind his answer was a serenity and a burgeoning confidence from the experience of losing.  Instead of taking an egoic hickey followed by months of healing, Gore took the pain in stride as a path toward mastery.  

Predictably, Gore’s performance improved dramatically, winning 3 of the next 4 tournaments he entered, securing his PGA Tour Card.  He eventually won the 84 Lumber PGA Tour event in Pittsburgh the following year.

The other thing you’ll notice about Gore is that he’s always smiling on the golf course.  Amid intense media scrutiny and stiff competition, Gore attracts a huge following because of his approachability.  Mind you, he’s no slouch, and is a fierce competitor, but his focus on a proper mindset earns him victories beyond golf.  

Life is sweet, and watching Mr. Gore is the evidence.

FRUSTRATION CENTRAL

One scourge of the consulting business is that people are always frustrated.  Even in the face of magnificent progress, there’s always a sense of despair that “the mountaintop hasn’t been reached, and it probably never will be.”  Well-meaning entrepreneurs have this knack of finding failure in themselves, and can get lost in a vicious cycle of performance-based hell.

My role in the client relationship is quite often an encourager.  I find this ironic, since much of the time, my own self-whipping tendencies frustrate me to no end!  Yet the message of hope I carry to my clients is simple:  

1. YOU can do it
2. You CAN do it
3. You can DO it
4. You can do IT

The emphasis on each word is significant!  The overall idea is that owning and operating a killer business that reflects your values is not only possible, it is imminent with good strategy.

If this article reminds you of yourself (or someone else), stop everything you’re doing and go here to buy this book for $10.78.  It’s called Mastery by George Leonard.  What I love about this book is that it puts our desires into a healthy framework.  While most of America pines for perfect performance, faster results, and mountains of cash, Mastery offers a different view of . . . well . . . Mastery.

The problem is that we typically want Mastery as a means to getting something.  Leonard suggests instead that Mastery is the love of practice, and that learning will never end.  Logically, if we are defined by our performance instead of practice, we will always feel like we’re missing the mark because we’re not perfect.

The challenge is to adopt a healthier mindset without placing it into your performance paradigm!  But I totally believe that the ideas offered by Leonard in his book are life-giving.  

Report your successes to me . . . and stay strategic!

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