I take my abilities very seriously as a teenage girl. In fact, many will say that I'm too compulsive for their taste. The idea of perfection rings in my head every, single day. However, recently the bell has begun to ring louder. As a sophomore on Glenbrook North's varsity golf team, the pressure to be perfect is now not only placed upon me by myself, but the team as well.
At the beginning of the season, I was on top of my game. The swinging of a golf club felt effortless, something that I'd worked on for months. The summer sun beamed down on the greens and the freshly cut grass made my putts feel like a breeze. My mind was focused on one thing only: being the best for myself.
Although, as the months went by and the school year inched along, my mind compiled more thoughts than just putting and chipping. Suddenly, I was pounded down by homework assignments, tests, and winning matches against other teams. My cumbersome golf bag lugged around more than just a set of clubs on the course, it also lugged my worries. This didn't seem like much of deal at first, considering I was used to being an over-analyzer. However, soon enough I realized that it was more than just an issue.
In fact, it wasn't until last week that my golf epiphany occurred. On Wednesday, after finishing my match against Loyola Academy, I was more than devastated. I played my personal worst, which for matters of self-esteem, I'd prefer to keep to myself. Nonetheless, I was shocked, angry, and confused. I was shocked by the high score inked onto paper, I was angry at myself for how poorly I performed, and I was confused as to why this happened to me.
My dad proposed a solution; I should see a coach and gather assistance from them. Sounds simple, right? Well, actually, it was more than simple. It was incredible. Within the matter of two golf balls, I transformed back into the player I was earlier. However, this wasn't just due to the mechanics of my golf swing, but also the mechanics of my brain. That's right, not only was I on my way to becoming a golfer, but also a neurologist. I'm just kidding. But actually, I was dumbfounded by how much of my game was due to mental tension. We practiced ways to maneuver my thoughts into motivation, as well as ideas on how to move past my brain. For example, I came up with certain songs that motivated me, and I practiced singing them before shots to keep my brain focused and loose at the same time. I was amazed at how such ordinary thoughts and adjustments could alter my game drastically. While my perfectionist qualities may never disappear, I've learned that there are ways to avoid the qualities for the better.
Sydney, I can't relate to this golf-wise but I definitely can relate in swimming. I am constantly amazed at the extent in which body and mind work together. And its not just how the body responds to mental stress, as you give the above example to, but how the body responds to even the most insignificant thought that crosses your mind. My body can be perfectly ready for a race, but if I have even the slightest shred of self-doubt, the race has already been swum, and badly. On the other hand, one's body could not be in the perfect condition, but if their mental attitude can still reign supreme. Take for instance, this girl on my team who swam a meet record at JV conference last Friday, a second away from a state cut, yet she does absolutely nothing during practice. This was infuriating, but it goes to show how much power mind has over body. The mental vs physical competition is simple enough and common enough, but the connection between the two areas can still be so, so surprising at times.
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