While Sonic Boom Golf’s main focus is on golf performance enhancement, we ultimately believe that the qualities that make you a better golfer (commitment, determination, focus, etc.) will transcend the sport function that it is intended for and will make you a better and more successful individual in life. As I have discovered during my extensive time in sports, the lessons you learn in sport often have a direct and positive application in other areas of your life.

One of the primary lessons I learned during my time in sports was that setting realistic and attainable goals was a tremendous motivator for what I wanted to accomplish. Reasonable goals were the fuel that pushed me during those times that I didn’t think I could go any more or didn’t feel like doing the things I needed to do to succeed. They spurred me to action when I was least likely to take action.

Goals Are the Catalyst for Permanent Change

Setting your own goals is the catalyst for permanent change. Start small and make short term goals for yourself. This is critical when planning for success. All of us at one time or another have decided that we were going to make a change (just think of New Years Eve) and that we were going to stick with it. You may decide that you will go from exercising zero days a week to seven days a week. This type of lifestyle shift is very large, sudden and violent. You can stay with your new schedule for a bit, but after a while, your focus and determination begins to wane. Being a creature of habit, you crave your old lifestyle and usually revert back to it.

The answer to this common problem is to slowly introduce new modifications to your lifestyle. If your long term goal is to improve your golf game by improving your golf-specific fitness, then your first goal may be to get a gym membership or the equipment you need to perform workouts at home. Your next goal may be to begin working out two days a week. After a while, you may move to three days a week and some additional time on the practice green or range.

Each step leads to the next one. The key is to know exactly what you want to achieve and focus on achieving it. Just think about the fulfillment that you would feel by setting your goals and achieving them. If your long term goal is to break 80 and you are not hitting a lot of fairways, then your first short term goal may be to put the driver away and hit 3 or 5 wood off the tee to help you hit more fairways. After hitting more fairways, you might want to play for the center of the green versus shooting for the pin every time. Once you get near the green, your next short term goal might be to never leave a putt short.

Small Goals Eventually Add Up to Big Goals

Setting smaller goals and gradually implementing change is much easier and much more fulfilling than if you were to try and implement a totally new lifestyle or thought process in a day. Never forget that old habits die hard.

Set your goals and take action today. Make a commitment to yourself that you will finally embark on the journey to self-improvement. For you, maybe that means finally making some time in your day for working out, spending more time on your short game, making a commitment to losing those pounds on your waist or just enjoying the game of golf more.

Part of the commitment to yourself is taking responsibility. Understand that there will be roadblocks; you will encounter obstacles and distractions during your journey, but they do not have to stop you. Set your goals, acknowledge your roadblocks, stick to your plan and commit yourself to achieving those goals. If you put in the work, the results will come and obstacles will just be a small hindrance in your journey to personal greatness.

Chapter 10-Goals Summary:

• Goals can be an incredible motivator when you are confronted by adversity that may deter your efforts and challenge your focus.
  
• Start small and make short term goals for yourself. It is much easier to make a bunch of small changes than it is to live with one big one.
  
• Have a long term goal and develop a plan to help you achieve that goal. If your goal is to improve your golfing performance, then the Pure Power Program will serve as an excellent plan to help you reach your ultimate aspiration.