Better Golf, Better Life

By Dan Miller
48days.com

CBN.com – Here’s a note I received from reader Michael McClure, from Burlington Ontario, Canada. Thanks to Michael for his permission to pass this along – and for the best example of we get what we expect that I’ve heard in a long time.

Hello Dan,

Can I tell you a quick story?

Years ago I was playing golf and wondered why each time I had to shoot over water my ball would head straight for it and take the plunge. It would happen over and over again. I would approach the tee, notice the water, reach into my bag and grab the grubbiest ball I could find, tee up, and launch it into the lake. Then one day, while waiting for a partner to tee off, I was examining the ball I had chosen and noticed it was in pretty good shape. I wasn't sure I wanted to lose such a good one, so I looked for one a bit more beaten up. Then it dawned on me: why am I setting myself up to lose this ball? Why am I planning to fail?

Why am I focusing so much on the water and not on the fairway on the other side? And that was the day I pulled out my very best ball. I chose the cleanest, newest, and most expensive ball I could find. That decision changed my mindset, as well as my posture, and I shot par. I've been using my best ball on every hole since that day and, while I'm no Tiger Woods, my game has improved. But what improved most was the way I felt during the game. The changed mindset. Looking past the obstacles, I felt confident, more expectant, and enjoyed the day like never before.

It was a simple lesson I learned and I find it translates well in many areas of life. It was one of your callers that reminded me of this event. The caller was wondering why he was afraid to succeed and tended to sabotage his own efforts. It might be the fear of change or it might be a fear of what it might do to a comfortable way of life.

Thank you so much for your program. I'm a new listener (listening via podcast in Canada) and heard about you on the Dave Ramsey show. Howard Dayton and Steve Moore from Crown Financial also mentioned your name, so I had to find out more. I trust all these men very much and I'm very grateful to you for your program and your many other excellent services that I'm just now learning about.

Blessings,

Michael McClure

Principles confirmed in 48 Days to the Work You Love

48 Days Online Radio Show

Thanks for the variety of interesting questions you are submitting each week. As you know, I then scan through and answer as many as possible in each week’s 48-Minute podcast. If you could please keep your questions to about 50 words they are much more likely to make it into the lineup!

Just click on this e-mail link and you can ask about resumes, interviewing, at-home business or finding your purpose in life: AskDan@48Days.com.

If you click on the 48 Days Podcast Player here you can listen to this week’s broadcast immediately – no downloading – no wait.

Guarantees or Opportunities?

I read a Herman Group Report this morning regarding the disconnect between employers and employees. It indicated that employees want “life/work balance programs, providing comprehensive benefits, appropriate financial compensation, and secure work environment fostering creativity and participation.”

The report goes on to say that the new young worker of today is “self-reliant, highly confident, and seeks personal and professional development. Professionally, nearly every worker surveyed preferred jobs allowing them to think creatively (96 percent) and requiring an innovative approach to tasks (91 percent). Personally, employees say the most attractive workplaces are those that help meet family obligations through flex-time, job sharing, telecommuting, and other life/work balance programs.”

Now wait a minute. It’s not surprising that this is presented as a disconnect. If you want guaranteed benefits, locked in pay, and security, then be prepared to give up creativity, innovation, flex-time, and life/work balance. Just show up, do what’s expected of you, get your paycheck, and go home.

On the other hand, if you’re willing to provide input for increasing revenue, you’d like to be able to go to your son’s tournament game on Friday afternoon, and you have better ideas for completing the work, then be prepared to share in the results produced – good or bad. You’ve just taken the ceiling off what you can expect to receive.

Realize that any time you require a guarantee, you give up opportunity. You can’t have both.

Other 48 Days resources

Humor: Where Are We Going?

Two young men who had just graduated from Harvard were all excited and bragging about themselves as they got into a taxi in downtown Boston.

After hearing them for a couple of minutes the cab driver asked, "You men Harvard graduates?"

"Yes, Sir! Class of '07!" they answered proudly.

The cab driver extended his hand back to shake their hand, saying, "Good to meet some fellow alumni. Class of '98."

News You Can Use

Have you found your opportunity?
We just added a new incentive for new 48 Days subscribers, but I don’t want to penalize our long-time readers. So here’s an updated version of the classic little book, Acres of Diamonds: It’s a free ebook, only 31 pages, and you can just open and read it, or save it for future reading: Acres of Diamonds. You’ll discover that the best opportunity may be right under your own nose.

Could you be the next President?
The most popular product in the 48 Days arsenal continues to be the Computerized Personality Report. Before you begin seeking a better job or self-employment, you need to be sure you are pursuing opportunities that match your personality style and will fulfill and reward you for a lifetime!

Chicken Soup for the Soul of Twins needs stories and poems that will resonate with readers and touch their hearts. Whether you are a twin, the parent of twins, related to twins, acquainted with twins, or just simply fascinated with twins, you’re sure to have an inspirational, humorous, or touching story. Tales may highlight the special bond between twins, the joys and challenges of raising twins, the “double trouble” that twins get into, the “multiple blessings” of being a twin or having them in the family, and much more. Story guidelines are available at www.chickensoup.com. Send stories to Susan Heim at susan@susanheim.com.

Dan Miller is the bestselling author of 48 Days To The Work You Love and a renowned Life Coach specializing in career fulfillment. His weekly newsletter reaches 70,000 subscribers. Dan’s articles are featured here at CBN every Tuesday, and you can find out more about Dan at www.48days.com.