19. It is better to set a very high long term goal and fall just short of it than to set a goal that is achievable without you breaking sweat

When I was a junior, I remember once reading a tip that said “When chipping, aim for a 5ft diameter circle around the hole.” Another tip from another book said “You should aim for a circle around the hole the size of a dustbin lid.” Then I read Gary Player’s advice on this subject which was, “When chipping, you should be looking to hole the shot”.

It is a fact that the higher the goal you set, (in this case the smaller the target) the better the results or level you will achieve. The man chipping at a 5-ft diameter target will see a percentage of his shot’s finish outside a 7-ft diameter circle. The man who aims to hole it will seldom leave a ball outside the “dustbin lid” diameter.

The same applies to goal setting. Take two young players of equal size, age and ability who are both off a high handicap. Tell one of them it is possible that in 3 years, he might get down to a 15 handicap. Then tell his counterpart that in 3 years, he has the ability to easily make it to a single figure handicap. I can tell you now that the 1st would be lucky to be down to 20 handicap whilst the 2nd would be off 15 at the most.

Many players I come across need their goals setting for them as poor self-image and negativity burden them. If you keep seeing yourself as a player unworthy of a better game, then you should hardly be surprised if you never achieve it. When you set a goal, you should be outrageous and unreasonable and demanding.

It is better to set a very high long term goal and fall just short of it than to set a goal that is achievable without you breaking sweat

"There are no lazy people, they just have dis-empowering goals". Tony Robbins