There’s a famous quote by Ben Hogan that goes something along the lines of, “Golf is a game that is played on a five inch course – the distance between your ears.”

There is no doubt that a key to success in golf is being able to manage the course and have the technical skills off the tee, in the short game, and with putting.  But if you took two golfers of the same skill level, but one had a stronger and better mindset than the other, I can guarantee that the golfer with the stronger and better mindset will succeed more often than not.

The mind plays such a powerful role not only when you’re on the course but also while you’re off the course.  Your mind is so strong that it can convince you of things that aren’t actually happening in real time.

I’ll give you an example.  My guess is that you have a favorite food that either one of your parents or grandparents would make.  Close your eyes, relax, and think about whatever that dish is, could be a sweet or savory dish, doesn’t matter.  Right now, I’m betting that you remember everything about that dish.  The way it looked, the way it smelled, and possibly even the way it tasted.  You may even be salivating right now just by thinking about it!  That’s how strong the brain is and all you did was think about one of your favorite foods from your past.

The brain can have this strong of a power on your golf game and your goals.  The first thing that you need to do is believe that you can achieve this goal.  And I’m not talking about telling yourself that you’re the best golfer 3x in the mirror to just say that you are.  You have to believe, deep down inside to your inner core, that you are the best golfer or whatever goal it is that you’re trying to achieve.

It may seem crazy but you should tell yourself that you’re going to achieve your goal.  To the point that you’re absolutely, 100% certain, that you will achieve said goal.  What this will hopefully do is kick your butt into action to achieve that goal.  I’m sure you’re well aware that you can’t just tell yourself you’re going to achieve a goal and expect it to happen without having to put in the hard work.  But since you’ve become borderline obsessed with achieving your goal, you will work doubly as hard to make sure that you achieve that goal.

Now I’m sure you’re wondering what it is exactly that you can start doing to get this process started.  I’ll tell you what I do every morning to help me stay positive and make forward progress on my goals.

First, I write down 3 things that I’m grateful for.  They don’t have to be anything super significant or even related to your goal.  But this gets you in a positive mindset and helps you realize that you’re doing great no matter what your situation may be.

Second, I write down my goals.  I don’t like having them already written and then just look at that piece of paper.  It gets really easy to just skim that piece of paper and not really think and reflect on your goals.  By writing them out everyday, you’re forced to think about each one to remind yourself what they are every single day.

Lastly, I write the top 3 things I will do that day that will help push me towards achieving my goals.  Pretty simple in all honesty, but it’s easy to go overboard here.  Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a day.  So don’t give yourself your 3 biggest tasks to complete.  Or if you know that one of those tasks takes you 6 hours to complete and leaves you mentally drained, then you probably aren’t going to get the other two tasks done.  Set yourself up for success.  Remember, small consistent actions will build over time and create big change.

It may sound a little hokey, but having conviction and having a positive attitude about your goals and your golf game can make all the difference in the world.  Give it a try for a month or two and see what kind of difference it makes in your life.

Now take this information and attack the golf course and your goals!