Radical Positivity #1: Lessons From My Father and Pat Croce

Everyone knows that a positive mind – filled with optimistic outlook and positive perspective – is key to happiness and success. On or off the golf course.

Have you ever thought about what might happen if you decided to be not only more positive, but radically positive??!!

Recently I noticed that every time I ask my dad how he is, he heartily answers: “Great!” It shocks and delights me every time. Six months ago, at age 89 and out riding his bicycle he stopped to answer his cell phone (for real!). He lost his balance, fell and broke his hip. Surgery, rehab and a long winter recovery have ensued for him, along with caring for my mother whose health has sadly been declining.

Yet here is my dear dad, willing to say with gusto that he feels great! No matter what. This morning he gave me a book by Pat Croce, a hugely successful speaker, sports columnist, karate champion and former president of the Philadelphia 76ers. The book is entitled: 110%: 110 Strategies for Feeling Great Every Day.

Mr. Croce writes that “I FEEL GREAT!” has been his signature line for years:

“...sometimes in moments of unbridled joy, sometimes in moments of unendurable pain.
“When we won the NBA lottery I shrieked it. When a paramedic leaned over me on a rain-swept stretch of highway where my bones were scattered like pebbles (after a devastating motorcycle accident), I croaked it….
I thought thoughts that were positive, that could pull me back from the edge of giving up. I told myself that I felt great – even when I didn’t … to make feeling great possible.”

I’m a psychologist, and I know there are all kinds of constructs in our minds and experiences in our lives that make being positive not so simple. Both the conscious and subconscious mind easily toss up reasons against Radical Positivity, all the way from it’s shallow to impossible, or just plain unrealistic.

But what if golfers simply decided to make “I PLAYED GREAT!” our signature line, after every shot and every round?!? What would happen to our mental game, and our scores? Could we re-train our tendencies to negativity? Might new results happen that cause rejoicing and reinforcement of positivity, in our minds and golf games and lives? Are we even willing to give it a committed try and find out?

The truth is, every shot is a great one – whether we liked it or not. And thinking that way definitely ups the chances of making our next swings and shots ones that we’ll call great because we do like them!

Smooth Swinging: Watching The Pros

Congratulations to Ben Crane, who just won at Torrey Pines here in San Diego (and thanks to Farmers Insurance for stepping in as title sponsor). It was a pleasure to watch Ben and all the pros swing, putt and play the game.

Much as the “electricity” of Tiger’s presence is not currently out there on the PGA Tour, it is no less wonderful or inspiring to watch all the pros play. I hope people will keep their interest and support high because every tour player is performing amazing athletic feats, under incredible competitive pressure, every shot, every round, every tournament, all year long.

“They swing so easily!”
“They’re always in balance!”
“They’re so still and smooth when they putt.”
“They always go through the same routine.”
“They never seem to hit it ‘fat’ or chunk it.”
“They’re SO good out of the sand, how do they DO that?”

These are comments I hear whenever students or friends return from watching pros play in-person. I always recommend to people to get out to an LPGA or PGA tournament, play in a pro-am, take playing lessons with your teaching pro.

What's evident by comparison between amateur and professional golfers is the level of the pros’:

a) centered-ness and balance
b) sequence and rhythm
c) timing and tempo
d) acceleration through the ball
e) well-practiced, sharp short game
f) smooth putting stroke and # of putts-per-round
g) mental focus
h) solid fundamentals
i) repeatable pre-shot routine and in-swing motion

So take the hints! Are you one of the many golfers obsessed with the search for the best clubs, or perfect positions and planes in your swing? Have you tried really focusing on the QUALITIES that make for better swings and lower scores??

I call these qualities “KiAi” which simply means the power of unified energy-flow. Relaxed and focused. Harmonious power, as opposed to the brute-force kill-it approach. If you don’t already know how true this is from your own experience, then at least trust the pros!

To comprehend "peaceful power": train your eye as you watch, and your body-mind as you swing and play the game. And check out my KiAi Golf Instructional DVD Series. The results will astound you!