2018 Step Up Your Game

December 31, 2016

Maybe 2018 can be the year everybody and everything is held accountable. Okay, this won't happen, but perhaps you can have yourself obligated and raise your game. Since this is a sports-themed blog, let's keep this in perspective. So take the activity and sport you are involved in and set the bar higher of your current skill level.

Say you're a golfer. What are you going to do to shed a stroke or two? If you are still shooting over 100 on the course, you certainly have a lot of room to improve. It's time to take a couple of lessons, buy a club that complements your stroke, or get your swing analyzed. I'm not too fond of the fact I will shoot a great round, followed by the wheels completely falling off the next time. I reached the point when it bugged the hell out of me and began throwing clubs. When you start chucking your sports equipment, the time has come to hit the psychologist's couch for some needed therapy.

Most of us are weekend warriors and rely on our activities and hobbies to create passion and excitement in our routine life. When I can find a new way to do things and discover a breakthrough, the level of curiosity and concentration goes up a notch. The enthusiasm and focus build, and the doors open up to more ideas for improvement. The next step is to turn your discoveries into habits. Your habits will need constant reinforcement, and then you will see some excellent progress.

Failures can be overwhelming when breaking the old ways of doing things, and mostly, it comes down to time spent improving skills. For instance, I like to play guitar, and learning a new song is great but mastering a cool riff or tone is even more enjoyable. Or perhaps when I work out at the gym, I want to add more intensity to my circuit to give myself a challenge. Most people achieve more in life when they test themselves and set a goal in their minds.

The big gray area in all of this pop psychology is attitude. The word can be a big can of catchy slogans and sayings are thrown around, and it doesn't stick in your brain. The underlying factor of any great sports performance is confidence, and that's the behavior to carry you far, a little thing in your head telling you can handle the situation. Confidence doesn't come naturally but in the forms of levels and time-tested successful studies. No magic wand exists that grants conviction, but it starts with a plan to improve your skills. When I track my performances and set small goals, I find my highest progress.

Lastly, after you have made some headway in your endeavors, there comes a time to share your experiences. The day will come around to boast and announce to the world on social media that you finally broke 80 on the golf course. You might irritate some, but most of your circle of peeps will be happy for you and will want to know what you did to reach your goals. Others may imitate or follow your advice which will give you more satisfaction. So make 2018 your year to put a plan in your sights because when you are on the journey, you will learn about yourself and what it takes to attain the level you want.

Happy New Year!