The inspiration for this post comes from personal experience combined with my interest in philosophy, particularly Stoicism, and the many golf psychology books I've read. The idea behind the "operating system" comes from the Scottish philosopher, Sydney Banks.
Your thoughts are your operating system
If your brain is a supercomputer then your thoughts are the operating system. Everything we do starts with a thought. This blog started with a thought. But while thoughts may feel real, they're actually not. Thoughts are transient, and like the old saying about busses goes, if you don't catch this one, there will be another one along in a minute. Your mind has an amazing ability to trick you through thought. If we pay too much attention to them we can start overthinking and that risks you spiralling into a world of compounding thoughts. If this happens on the golf course it's pretty much a guaranteed card wrecker. "If I just par the next 4 holes, I'll shoot my best ever score", "I've never liked this hole", "Why am I getting so many poor lies today", "Why do I keep missing those short putts?" etc, etc. Unfortunately, you can't stop thoughts popping into your mind. However, as Epictetus says below, it's your choice how to react.
"We can not choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them."
"What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance."
Ctrl+Alt+Del - open "Thought"
Thoughts are generated internally. External circumstances have an influence, but the thought comes from inside you. Feelings such as anxiety, fear, excitement, nervousness etc. are all just reactions to thoughts. As Epictetus said, reactions to thoughts about external circumstances will ultimately determine how we feel about them. Remember, external events and circumstances are not in your control. You can't do anything about the weather, the state of the rough or the un-raked bunker. Aristotle said, "You don't have to accept what you think". So the next time you feel angry or nervous, take a moment, remember that thoughts are temporary, acknowledge them, disempower them and let them pass through. Then get on with hitting the next shot. Swings don't fail, it's thoughts that create the problem!
"You play the shot, not the situation", Ian Poulter
Golf psychology books often talk about "thinking positively", "getting into the zone", "setting targets" etc. But the common flaw is that they all encourage you to think more, rather than less. It's an attempt to solve thinking with different thinking. When you listen to interviews with golfers who have shot amazing scores, the most common comments are generally along the lines of "I just got out of my own way", "I wasn't thinking about the score", "My mind was clear". The big problem with most golfers is that we spend so much time thinking that it gets in the way of doing! Tim Gallwey talks about this in "The Inner Game of Golf" where he states that the body knows what to do, but the mind gets in the way of letting the body do it. A similar theme runs through Bob Rotella, Vision54, Golf from Point A etc. Bobby Jones probably said it best though:
"Golf is a game played on a five-inch course. The distance between your ears". Bobby Jones
Most golfers' heads are full of unhelpful things like technical thoughts, score thoughts, self-doubt and insecurities about how others view our ability. Societal pressure to "be more, do more, achieve more" can make us prone to place too much importance on the outcome that we forget to enjoy the game. We set poor expectations and get upset if we don't hit them. It's the paradox of control. We compare ourselves to our own poorly constructed benchmarks and forget the phrase that "comparison is the thief of joy". We "feel" our thinking, but it could be so different.
"You are one thought away from peace, happiness and contentment", Sydney Banks
When we get tense our timing and tempo suffer and that's fatal for the golf swing. The self-talk can turn negative, we can get introspective and judgemental, we try to "fix" things while playing and if we're not careful we keep spiralling down. We blame external circumstances rather than examining our internal thinking. We forget that our feelings are just physical reactions to what our thinking has created. Again, swings don't fail.
Clarity of mind brings confidence
I'm reminded of the excellent (and funny) book, "The Amateurs", by John Niven. The central character, Gary, is desperate to be good at golf. He buys all the magazines and reads every swing tip, but he's getting nowhere. One day, he gets hit on the head by a ball and when he wakes up his mind has cleared and he starts playing amazing golf. But there are a few unexpected side effects.
Note: This book isn't for those of a sensitive nature or if you are easily offended by strong language and scenes of a sexual nature! However, I thought it was very funny!
Ctrl+Alt+Del - open "Gratitude and Awareness"
It's a privilege, not a right, to be golfing and we should remember that every time we play. Even if it's as rough as a farmer's field, there is always a redeeming feature. The company you have, the view, the fresh air, the escape from the rest of the world. Be grateful for the simple pleasure of being there.
Try to be more aware of being aware. Notice when thoughts pop into your head. Acknowledge them but don't empower them so you can let them pass through. If you feel nervous or anxious, treat it as a warning sign of paying too much attention to your thoughts. Open up your senses, be aware of your surroundings, feel the ground beneath your feet and enjoy being present in the moment. No matter how you play, or what you score, the world will continue to rotate and your thoughts will change again.
Can you think your way to being a better golfer?
Being better at golf and being a better golfer represent two different things to me. The primary aim of philosophy is to be a better person today than you were yesterday through studying your mind and soul. It's a lifelong journey and there are more questions than answers. Golf is part of my journey and has been with me since childhood. My journey is defined by the direction of travel because there is no map or endpoint other than death.
The joy I get from golf is a feeling and it's hard to describe. It's a sense of connection to something bigger than me. It's the physical sensation of hitting a pure shot. It's the "sense" that a putt is going to drop. When you "see" the perfect chip in your mind. There's a shared camaraderie with other golfers from all walks of life, all over the world. A common language if you like. There's a harmony to the game, a oneness from being connected with the environment you're playing in.
I know that who I am won't change whether I achieve my targets, if I hole the next putt, or if I get to scratch. I've pressed Ctrl+Alt+Del. I'm learning to think better and understand the connectedness of Mind, Thought and Consciousness. Technically I'm better at golf than I was a year ago, but I'm still learning to be a "better golfer".
Great post! Lots resonated with me! To answer your question; I do believe I have ‘thought’ my way to better golf, but defining ‘better’ in that sentence is more challenging. Better for me is ‘more accepting’, ‘more enjoyable’, and ‘more grateful’.
When I started my golfing journey 15 months ago, I wanted to reduce my handicap directly through technique and lowering my scores. Something has changed in me. I now play to love playing and practice to love practicing. What will be, will be!