How to Rise Up and Conquer Adversity
Adversity can be the impetus for a golfer to rise up or the excuse for a golfer to be held back.
The reality is that every golfer, every athlete and every person faces their own adversity. Adversity comes in many forms and, sometimes, it is thrust upon you in large doses.
What types of adversities are you facing in your golf game?
A coach who is over-demanding?
A critical parent?
The yips?
A string of bad rounds?
An injury?
Facing adversity is never easy but it is rarely something that has to stop you dead in your tracks. The way you view adversity will determine how you deal with those personal challenges. If you arm yourself with the right mindset, not only can you overcome adversity, but become a better golfer and person as a direct result of conquering that adversity.
Mel Reid is a five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour and recently earned her card for 2017 on the LPGA Tour.
Reid has always wanted to play on the LPGA Tour but has endured a series of adverse circumstances over the past few years including losing her mother in a car accident in 2012 and missing the deadline for last year’s qualifying tournament.
Reid had questioned her future in golf prior to the 2016 LPGA Qualifying Tournament at Daytona Beach. Instead of giving in to the adversity, Reid met it head on and carded rounds of 69 – 64 – 75 – 72 – 72 to finish T-8, well inside the top-20 earning membership for next season.
To add to the challenges faced by Reid, she played the tournament while being sick. Playing 90 holes in an attempt to qualify for the Tour is a test of endurance and mental strength but Reid viewed it as yet another challenge to overcome.
Reid told herself that no one is immune from adversity and, just maybe, this adversity can help push her over the top to greater performance heights.
REID: “I said [to my caddie] ‘I don’t feel well’ on the third day. He said ‘Really, I didn’t expect anything else.’ It’s just the way it goes with me sometimes. I’m hoping my life now is going to run a little bit smoother and you never know now I might win early on the LPGA. Hey, nothing worth having comes easy does it?”
Reid’s greatest asset is her mentality and perseverance.
REID: “I just felt like I wasn’t enjoying Europe as much… you know it was one thing after another. I wasn’t necessarily going to give up, but I was just going to I don’t know. Maybe I would have done it, but I’m not a giver upper.”
Are you ready to rise above adversity?
If Reid can win out over adversity, so can you.
Tips to Change Your Perspective About Adversity:
Tip #1: Stop viewing adversity as a bad thing. Adversity is nothing more than a challenge and challenges push you to grow as a golfer and a person.
Tip #2: Look for examples of golfers who beat the odds and overcame adversity. Take time to read about how they faced their challenges and their mindset towards adversity.
Tip #3: Commit to not being a giver upper. Create some ‘if… then’ statements and game plan for adversity. For example, “If I get injured, then I will work to develop a stronger mental game.”
Adversity does not have to be your foe; it can be your friend. It is all a matter of perspective.