Drive and Ambition

I thought I'd take some time away from work today and play some golf. A sport I love and really the only thing that gets me away from working. I play a lot, so today wasn't a "Special" day by any means. I would play regardless of who I am playing with, the weather conditions or how well I was playing. I make it a point to calendar this golf time every week and not let anything get in the way of "my time on the golf course". (We live in Minnesota, so our season is limited, we're getting snow and cold weather early this year and I have no other interests in the winter so I work all the time)

I don't quit playing for any reason because I love to play. Except for today. I walked off (for the first time) after only six holes. Not mad. Frustrated. I didn't want to be on the course. My game has been great until the last week, then it's like I have never held a club. Golfers know what I am talking about and would say it happens to everyone. I agree as it has happened many times to me. But I always kept playing. Always. But not today.

I lost my drive and ambition for the game today. You expect some satisfaction from what you are doing. Today there was none. Today is the nicest day in the last three weeks, and probably will be for the rest of the winter. I don't care. I just wanted to get off the course. Nothing I did helped. I got mad. I was frustrated. I laughed and joked with my buddies. I messed with my swing. I did all the mental exercises I could to get me out of this 'funk'. It didn't work.

So what do I have to share with you from this experience as I am sitting inside looking out at this beautiful day watching my buddies continue to golf and have a great time? I'm not sure, other than sometimes it's okay to quit. Sometimes it's okay to take yourself out of the moment (or off the golf course) if you really don't have your heart into your work or play.

Think back at how productive you really are when your heart is not in your work or play. When you lack drive and ambition and would rather be anywhere else than where you are, doesn't it make good sense to just back off for a while and regroup? Your attitude has a direct correlation to your productivity. Many times, even if you know you can't quit and try to trudge through your task with the best intentions of falsely changing your attitude to make you more productive, you fail.

I don't claim to know how to win back this lost drive and ambition. I just know that sometimes, it's gone for no known reason. Try as you may, it's not there and isn't coming back. This is the time I would change direction. Do something else and get your mind off the task at hand (even if it means missing out on the best day in the next six months!). It helps, believe me.

I'll be golfing again. This isn't a permanent loss of drive and ambition, just a 'funk'. Kind of like the 'yips' when you putt. Time seems to be your enemy. Don't let it be. Just go do something else.

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