One Great Golf Shot...well, even I had one of those, and I could easily challenge for the World's Worst Golfer title. I was participating in a charity golf scramble several years ago, and on a Par 3 my shot landed about 2 feet from the pin. I will never repeat that--partially because I never golf anymore--but whenever I do think about golf, I remember that One Great Shot.
Why do you think even the worst of golfers remember their best moments, but in other areas of our lives we focus on the negative over the positive?
I think he worst of golfers remember their best moments because it's a personal life experience they are choosing to savor. Leisure activities are generally something we're not critiqued or graded on..unless it's for money or something. I think we tend to remember the best moments because it's something little that can bring a big smile. However, I think we tend to focus on the negative over the positive in other areas of our lives because we have so much pressure put upon us to deliver the best results. We have bosses checking over our work constantly to make sure we're on the right track, and our bosses have bosses checking on their work, etc...It's almost as if everyone works so hard to please their superiors that the tiniest bit of criticism (constructive or not) can feel like an avalanche falling on you. It's hard not to take things personally sometimes, whether it be at work, at home, your social life, etc...it's just a common emotional default setting; to feel inferior, dwell on the negative, and not feel good enough. Sad, but true. Those golf shot memories--they help us survive.
ReplyDeleteI think for many people, it is much easier to remember or focus on the negative. It is a learned skill from childhood experiences. The one shining moment for the worst golfer is easy to remember because it is one shot out of many and it keeps them somewhat interested. I also think that the worst golfer does think about his/her bad golf game and focus on the negative more but they don't show as much because it is an expectation from themselves and they seem to "live with it"
ReplyDeleteI really like what Craig said - Our pressure packed lives with deadlines,goals, evaluations, standardized tests, progress reports, etc, lend to feeling like we aren't good enough. It is hard to feel adequate when you are being "measured" in so many ways. I do think that being raised in a Christian home and having Christian values allows me to see the positive in most things. Don't get me wrong - I can be negative with the best of them, but I believe for the most part I am a glass is half full type of person. I know that after all Brian and I went through with our family last year, we were able to make it through because we knew that it could always be worse, and there was a plan for our lives.
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