Goal Setting in Golf and in Business

By Elena King & Dr. Denise McGuire , CWCC Members

Get Ready for the 2011 CWCC Golf Tournament

It’s that time of year again. The 6^th Annual CWCC Golf Tournament is July 14^th.  This is a great time to set goals for your golf game and start putting them into action at the tournament. Perhaps you’ve evaluated the quality of your game from the previous year and decided that you want to lower your handicap or generally improve your performance. Whatever your desires it’s important that you take the time to realistically evaluate your game, your business and yourself and decide what changes you would like to make.

One of the best ways to prepare for the future is to envision what you want to accomplish and then set goals for reaching those dreams. Jim Carey set a goal to make $12 million in a movie deal while he was still a stand-up comic in Los Angeles. As a commitment to this goal he wrote a check to himself for $12 million. He quit his stand-up gig and took a role on the TV show In Living Color. His success on that show led to movie offers that eventually included Batman Forever for which he made $12 million dollars. And yes, this is a true story.

Goals are important for many reasons. First, they provide us with a clear direction in which to go. Much like a geographical destination on a map our goals can show us where we’d like to go, where we currently are and what route to take to get there. Second, they motivate us to work hard and face our fears and doubts about what we think we are capable of achieving. Third, they can also allow us to discover new things about ourselves.

Here are some guidelines for setting goals:

• Make them measurable
• Be specific
• Be realistic
• State them positively
• Write goals down and track your progress
• Create short, medium, and long-term goals

In order to have the best opportunity to accomplish your goals I suggest that you consult with others who know you well and are knowledgeable about the aspect you wish to change. For example, if one of your goals is to improve your work environment or pursue a different career you might consider consulting with a business coach.  Talk with your golf instructor if you want to improve your short game.  Ask him or her for feedback on your goals as well as your strengths and weaknesses. Others can also help you monitor and celebrate your progress and keep you on track.

As you may have already experienced not all goals are met. There are a number of reasons for this. For example, you may have unrealistic expectations about change, feel ambivalent about improving, try to change too many things at once, not have a clear plan for success, or not have adequate resources (time, money, energy) for change.

When we work with a client on goal setting, we make sure to ask questions about the motivation to change.  Change can be very challenging and the clearer we are at the outset the more successful we are likely to be.

Here are some additional steps to consider when setting your goals:

• What will this goal mean to me when I achieve it?
• How much time do I need to accomplish this goal?
• What additional skills do I need to develop along the way?
• Whose help do I need to accomplish this goal?
• How will I feel when I accomplish this goal?
• What will I have to give up in order to achieve this goal?
• How will my life change by achieving this goal?
• Write down your top 3-5 goals and visualize yourself accomplishing those goals. Imagine that you have already accomplished your goals and notice how you feel.

The more excited you become by the process of reaching your goals in golf, business and life, the more motivated you will be to achieve them. Celebrate your successes along the way and use those experiences to keep you focused.

Make it a goal to join us at the CWCC 6th Annual Golf Tournament on July 14, 2011.  If you’re still learning the game, receive instruction from Elena King during the Golf Clinic that same afternoon.

Elena King, LPGA Class A, CommonGround Golf Course, Director of Instruction, ExperienceGolf, President, Owner

ExperienceGolf coaches golfers of all abilities by sharing simple, holistic and scientifically-based processes that enable their students to tap into their own resources to achieve their best on each shot, resulting in a more enjoyable golf experience.

Dr. Denise McGuire, Performance Coach

Get in the Zone, LLC Dr. Denise McGuire is a licensed psychologist, performance coach and founder of Get in the Zone, a company which utilizes leading-edge technology and scientifically grounded methods to help golfers optimize their performance both on and off the course.