“Run,” the voice screams in your head. Do anything to get away from here.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve birdied the first hole.
And yet, as we talked about last week, I’m still trying to break 80.
Everyone’s heard that it isn’t a sprint, it’s a marathon.
That first hole is usually inviting. A nice, gentle welcome that gives you an opportunity.
Take advantage of that opportunity and you’ll be one step ahead at the beginning of the day.
Marathon, not a sprint…
Like a snake with jeweled teeth, a golf course can turn quickly and slither away with whatever hope you had.
That first hole is meant to lead you on and get your hopes up. It wants you there, and then it wants to take your lunch money.
It’s like starting any new venture in life. At first, you get all the excitement that comes with starting something new, nothing can go wrong.
That new relationship is perfect, the new job is invigorating, the new business can never fail. Even if you’re just traveling the world you think nothing can go wrong.
But after awhile, you start to see the truth. The layers of the onion get peeled back and the downfalls of whatever exciting, new thing it is, start to be revealed.
It takes 95 hours a week to keep a business afloat, or the boss at your new job turns out to be a jerk, and all you do in your new relationship, is bicker.
“Run,” the voice screams in your head. Do anything to get away from here.
But this is what you wanted. Your younger self was so excited to be in this place just a short time ago.
By short, I mean about two holes back. That’s where it all went south.
A round of golf is 18 holes, not one. A business requires years of full-time dedication. A relationship deserves your full attention for life.
To be successful at any venture, effort is essential for an extended amount of time.
Success doesn’t happen overnight.
You’re going to have to work hard every day, every hole, no matter what challenges may appear if you want to be triumphant.
And it will, most likely, never get any easier.
Are you up to the task?
As the late Nipsey Hussle would say, (he’s a rapper, Gramma) “The marathon continues.”