ForeThought

By: Bob Skura on 04/02/09 10:19 AM

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Fifty-three-year-old Greg Norman, told the press that his success in the first three rounds of the 2008 British Open was due to maintaining a serene composure. ‘Go, Greg, go,’ his long-time fans cheered. His approach worked perfectly until he became uptight and lost the 54-hole lead, something he has done seven times in majors during his career. ‘No, Greg, no,’ his fans wailed.

Why Norman collapsed so often in majors is a story in itself but for now let’s look at how a person finds the magic that serenity brings. Serenity is another way of describing a quiet mind. Maria Montessori, the world-famous child educator, set up her classrooms so that children would be calm and quiet too. She found that children not only excelled when they were quiet, but also were more manageable and content. The act of being quiet allows us to be more receptive to feedback from our experiences, which is one of the conditions for getting into the zone.

So how do you develop a quiet mind? Well, first it helps to know that that is your objective but instead of forcing yourself to be quiet, all you have to do is observe yourself without passing judgment. As odd as it may seem, the very act of stepping back and watching yourself is one way of putting yourself into a ‘present’ state of mind according to Eckhart Tolle, contemporary philosopher and bestselling author of The Power of Now. Simply observe, and little by little, your detachment will help you develop a calm, collected composure.

Greg Norman’s accomplishment is that he was able to play with a quiet mind as often as he did given his intense nature. If he had been able to maintain his quiet until the end of major tournaments he could have written an entirely different legacy, proving that even the greats have room to improve. In a future article we’ll look at how he could have retained the magic until the 72^nd hole. Bob Skura is the author of the award-winning book, How Great Golfers Think – Perfecting Your Mental Game. For more information visit: www.howgreatgolfersthink.com