Only a small percentage of people on Earth play golf. Probably because it is a really hard game to master. It requires a lot of disposable time and money, and because it is painfully revealing. It exposes physical and mental weaknesses and personality quirks. Things we don't always want to know about ourselves. I think it is the most interesting game ever invented. I understand why many people think I am nuts, but they overlook the psychological challenges and benefits the game brings to bear. As a young man, my dad advised me to focus on three activities I could do for the rest of my life: Make music, play golf and ski. His reasoning? None of them required other participants and weren't entirely dependent on your physical condition. As a skiing family, I am grateful for the lifelong bonds we formed. As a young father I used to tell my kids that there were three things in life I hoped they would embrace: Join a team, learn a foreign language, or learn to play a musical instrument. Any one of those skills would be great to master, but even one of them would accomplish a lot. Why? Each one requires a different but powerful set of skills. Conquering any one or all of them offers a major advantage in all aspects of life. At the top of the list, but also the most accessible and simple of those is joining a team. Any team will do. It could be a sports team, or a Bible study team. It could be a sales team or a collaboration with other students on a school project. The point is to learn to subjugate your own needs and goals to that of a group. To learn to function as a part of something bigger than yourself, and to appreciate the contributions of other people who contribute different skills to the total. In life you will always be better served when you realize you are not the center of the universe. “Behind every great leader, at the base of every great tale of success, you will find an indispensable circle of trusted advisors, mentors, and colleagues.” – Unknown Next, learn a foreign language. This is an extension of the teamwork theme. In order to better understand how people different from yourself can not only help you in life, you have to learn how to understand them. They don't all communicate the same way. They don't all learn the same way. Finding ways to reach them, and for them to reach you, has to be a good thing. It will also reveal some of the shortcomings of our own language and why it is so necessary to listen well. As Coach Vince Lombardi used to say, "Winning isn't everything, it is the only thing". The same can be said about the ability to communicate well. "Communicating isn't everything, it is the only thing". Lacking communication skills makes confronting life's challenges nearly impossible and isolates you from those that can help. Learning to speak a different language simply enhances your mastery of English and all of the nuances of connectivity. “The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” ~ Mark Twain And finally, learn to play a musical instrument. Why? Music is essentially a physical manifestation of math. It is an expression of complex patterns and schemes that mirror economics and business. I am no expert because I didn't take my own advice. As a teen I took guitar and piano lessons. I failed miserably at both. I can't walk and chew gum. I had no control of my fingers, and couldn't differentiate my right hand from my left hand. In college I took an Understanding Modern Jazz class. The instructor approached me one day, and whispered in my ear, "I would recommend you transfer to Modern Art." As for golf? It taught me humility. A skill that is not on the list, but should be. It is underrated and in short supply, but will serve me well for the rest of my frustrated life. |
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