At this time of year, many people have already given up on those promises and resolutions. Wonderful, well meant plans during a period of  over-indulgence, eating too much, drinking perhaps a little more than is wise. And we then the refrain, “I’ll make my resolution to change in the new year”. But, habits are difficult things. Most often the term is associated in a derogatory sense. i.e. these are bad habits. Any smoker will tell you! There are good habits of course, but for the moment, let’s work on the basis that the habitual way you are playing includes some bad habits that you’d like to be rid of.

So, first a warning!

Every single thing that we do (good or bad) started with a positive intention – and usually some aspect of a habit retains some form of original positive intention. We, as human beings, ONLY do something positive. So, no matter what your habit, there is something positive in it for you – if we can, we want to retain that aspect.

So, remember, everything that you do has a positive intention for you – this applies to everybody else on the planet as well. Someone who smokes often obtains physical pleasure, others say it helps reduce food cravings, some claim reduced stress. Whatever the habit, there was, at least originally, a positive intention.

When you step up to the tee and go through an habitual routine telling yourself that the last time you played this hole you sliced it into the woods, or “I always top it in the bunker” – you have, believe me, a positive intention… even though you are setting yourself up to fail. Or perhaps you have the mantra “I never win tournaments, I’m just not good enough” running through your head – it is to protect you from winning! Obviously your unconscious mind is clear that you can not win a tournament because your egotistical nature would cause your spouse to up and leave you after recounting the winning stroke for the 1000th time.

So, how do we rid ourselves of habits? Well, it can be a lengthy process:

See, if you get rid of the ‘H’, you still have ‘a bit’.

You get rid of the ‘A’, and you still have a ‘bit’.

You get rid of the B, and you still have ‘it’.

To get rid of the ‘I’, you have to look to the ‘T’ and choose what is central to your life, your game and not at the effect of the whims and fancies of your feelings, other people or the environment.

If you truly want to improve your game, there are going to be some sacred cows to slaughter.

Who you are as a person in the natural is critically important. I stand by my assertion that leaders are made not born, yet, there are some people who seem to be more ‘naturally’ disposed to leadership than others. It is my belief that this will have been more strongly influenced and affected by their upbringing and the environment, than their DNA.

Over the years, I’ve observed many many golfers, and many many leaders – political, spiritual, religious and business leaders. There is considerable commonality between the way in which golfers play their game and the way they lead.

It is helpful to know and understand what your own ‘natural’ character is – the sort of golfer you are, in general terms, and the game you are most comfortable playing. When you recognise your own game, your own preferred ‘style’ it becomes both a strength and a weakness. You know what you are good at and what turns you on, you also now begin to know what you are not so ‘natural’ at doing and can take action to either remedy the situation or, simply to recognise that this will remain a weakness. No bad thing in and of itself – the greatest leaders of all time know their weaknesses – and usually (sensibly) compensate by hiring someone they trust to fill this gap.