Do you ever find yourself…
Buried in self-doubt?
Entertaining the idea of throwing in the towel?
Convincing yourself that you can’t do it?
Telling yourself to quit trying because you will never be any good at it?
Those were my thoughts on the golf course a week ago. I have invested time, money, and energy into golf lessons. I make regular trips to the driving range. I even practice putting in my office. What is the point if I am not going to get any better?
Just as I was thinking that this might be my last 9 holes, I smacked a 150 yard shot with my hybrid club. It was a thing of beauty, and it felt as good as it looked. My friend turned to me and uttered 3 really important words. “It’s in there”…
No one else hit that shot – it was me. Somewhere inside me is a person that knows how to hit a golf ball really well. Perhaps if I spent more time reminding myself that “it’s in there” instead of beating myself up for not being able to get it right all the time, that part of me that knows how to do it (whatever it is) would show up more often.
I know it’s a simple thing, but I can’t tell you how many times over the last week I have reminded myself that “it’s in there” and my job is to believe that. Now only is it in me, but it’s in other people too. What would happen if we encouraged each other to believe in ourselves instead of getting sucked into a tailspin of negative thoughts and giving voice to the critic that only serves to drag us, and everyone around us, into a black hole?
“It’s in there” doesn’t mean I’m going to get it right all the time. It does mean that I send a different message to myself. I send a message that I am looking for the part of me that knows I can do “it” whatever it is, and that feels really good. Remind yourself of that the next time you feel like quitting!
