Why Is Tiger Woods So Good?

I was watching Tiger play in the tour championship yesterday. Although I don’t really play that much golf I enjoy watching Tiger play. Never has an individual so undeniably dominated a sport.

I have a friend who is a very good golfer. He actually tried to make it on the pro tour for a couple of years. But as good as he is those guys playing on tour are consistently playing on an even higher level. And then you look at Tiger Woods and he exceeds them all.

Tiger Woods wins about 1 in every 3 tournaments. This year he won 6 tournaments. For many pro golfers 6 may be a lifetime goal.

How does Tiger do it?

Tiger is a master of staying in the Now—of staying in the present moment.

Tiger does not let his thoughts stray to the future or dwell in the past. He keeps his mind centered in the present and the task at hand. Under the pressure of performing in a golf tournament with millions of fans watching your every move, staying as present as Tiger does is nothing less than amazing.

Staying in the present moment brings clarity and focus. Not concentrating on the shadowy phantoms of the future lets you know what needs to be done now.

Tiger is not worried about what the millions of fans are thinking about him. Tiger is not projecting himself into the future concerned with whether or not he is going to win the tournament. Tiger isn’t concentrating on the money he is going to be winning. (Actually, I’m sure money isn’t even a factor for Tiger any more. Which is a definite plus for staying focused.)

Tiger is in the Now. He is taking each step one at a time. Walking from fairway to the green, each blade of grass is crisply in view. He is aware of each footstep. The sound of the fairway turf crushing beneath his Nike golf shoes echos in his ears. Tiger Woods is alive.

With our imperfect, ego addicted minds it is impossible for anyone to constantly stay in the Now and Tiger is no exception. We have seen Tiger have off days. We have seen Tiger scramble around the golf course and miss putts that normally he could have sunk if the hole was twice as small. In those moments Tiger is no longer in the Now. His mind has taken over. The past and future are dominating.

But more times than not Tiger can calm and silence his mind-- a necessary step for entering the Now.

In most tournaments a new golfer rises to challenge Tiger. Another golfer has entered the Now and is capable of challenging Tiger. Sometimes they succeed. But how many times do you see them leave the Now? When Tiger is trailing in a golf tournament how many times do you see Tiger’s competitors make mistakes and their golf score plummet. They have left the Now.

Tiger has the ability to go into the Now and stay better than any golfer that has ever lived. Tiger can immerse himself so completely into the Now as to seem to make magic happen. When Tiger is fully in the Now, is when he runs away with tournaments. That is when no other golfer in the world even has a chance at beating him.

Tiger Woods is so good, because Tiger Woods is in the NOW.

Paradigm Shift Today

Is Pain Addictive?

Paradigm Shift Today

It seems as if some people are actually addicted to the pain in their everyday lives. It is almost like they get an adverse pleasure from the pain. That may sound extreme but for most of us our pain is hard to get rid of.

When something bad happens in our life our mind wants to dwell on it. The harder we try to ignore it the more intense it becomes. It becomes a huge struggle. We want to free ourselves from the pain but we can’t.

Believe it or not a big part of the problem is our ego. We make the pain part of us. And our ego wants to viciously hold onto anything it sees as part of us. It is as if we lose the pain then we will lose a part of ourselves. Our ego does not want that. And subconsciously we will do anything to prevent that even if it means doing things to hold onto the pain.

So what do can we do?

Don’t fight it. Accept it. Experience the pain. Observe it and let it run its course. Depending on the severity of the pain it may become very intense at times but keep observing. Pay attention to the thoughts running through your head. Pay attention to the emotions that you are feeling.

Don’t try and fight the pain. Just surrender to it. Let it take you over.

This may seem extreme. So counter intuitive to what we are taught.

But guess what is going to happen?

As you continue to just be an observer to the pain you will eventually notice the pain diminishing. Once that happens don’t stop. It may seem easier to fight the pain now since it is not as strong, to just forget it and go on. But don’t. Keep observing the pain. Again don’t fight. Just keep staying in a “surrender mode.” Eventually you will notice the pain will stop, just disappear. It has run its course.

It may come back later. But it won’t be as strong. When it comes back again just accept the pain, surrender and observe. The pain will eventually disappear forever.

Paradigm Shift Today

Two Mind Exercises

EXERCISE ONE

Can you listen to your thoughts, the voice in your head?

Do you know how many thoughts you have a day? About 50,000!

Can you become aware of the emotions you are feeling right now?

Do you have control of those thoughts and emotions?

Concentrate on your thoughts and emotions right now.

Okay, now you’re observing your thoughts and emotions.

Doesn’t observation imply TWO separate things? The observer and that being observed.

Which one is you?

Do you know what will happen if you just observe an emotion or thought long enough?

EXERCISE 2

What do you need right now?

Don't project yourself into the future. The future is a phantom in your mind that doesn't exist.

What do you need right now?

Not tomorrow. Not an hour from now. Not even a minute from now.

What do you need right now?

Is there anything in your life so pressing that you just have to have it right now, you can't wait one more second?

Paradigm Shift Today