AN INTUITION TO THE ESSENTIAL THINGS

I heard a sports journalist, Jamie Diaz, use that phrase this morning as I watched the television run-up to The Open, formerly called the British Open golf tournament.  He was talking about one of the premier golfers of the world and his approach to preparing for major golf tournaments. 

Any reader of mine knows that I am a golfer.  But what a casual acquaintance with me as a person or as a reader may not know until they have spent a little time with me is that my interest and enjoyment in golf is but part of my internal focus on what I deem to be the much more essential things that make up my life—or any life.  Golf, for me, is an enjoyable end in itself, but it is also a means to looking at more important things.

If you are going to be a major player in anything in life I believe there is an essential approach to the essential ‘things.’ (This reminds me of the song ‘The Gambler’ sung by Kenny Rogers, “You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run . . . .”)

Golf has given me an enjoyable way of learning through the discipline that it takes for me to be a good golfer that it also takes the same type of approach and discipline to be good at anything that one may not have been naturally gifted.

A person has to be teachable.  That is to say, the person needs to discipline himself to not saying ‘I know,’ when he does not know; to not looking away or doing other things when a model or opportunity is made available to him that he could observe and try to replicate.  And if that is not possible, then looking up the answer when the model is not available to consult.  In short, it is to use the moment when it would otherwise be wasted, and then come back to it as soon as you can.  We can always learn from others—what to do, or what not to do. We need to observe and to ask them, and ourselves, ‘What is essential?’

A fundamental essential thing that we need to know in golf or in life is what our weaknesses are and then face them square on.  Next, we need to figure out how they could be remedied.  Then we need to work on those things using every resource that is available to us when they are available.  This includes time as well as people as well as books or other materials.  It needs discernment as to (from another song) ‘what to leave in and what to leave out.’ Then, when we find a success we need to immediately reinforce it.  Do it over and over until it starts to take root in our muscles and our memory. 

I have been repeatedly reminded of the insight once learned to ‘not get caught up in the thick of thin things.’  We need to cull out the ‘thin’ or unessential or unproductive things. There are essential things (lessons, best practices, approaches) embedded in nearly every activity—but there are, more importantly, best activities—the  essential thick things of life—our physical and spiritual health, our family, our contribution or ‘calling’ in life, our commitments and our covenants, our duty to God and country. Concentrate on and put your best efforts on these things.  

Take stock, identify the essential things, and then go from there.