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The Search For A Quiet Mind

Sun., March 15, 2009

Bob Skura

Fifty-three-year-old Greg Norman, told the press that his success in the first three rounds of the 2008 British Open was due to maintaining a serene composure. His approach worked perfectly until he became uptight on Sunday and squandered the 54-hole lead, something he has done seven times in majors during his career. It was a heart-wrenching sight for golf fans around the world but let’s look at what Norman did right until then. Serenity is another way of describing a quiet mind. Maria Montessori, the world-famous child educator, set up her classrooms so that children would be calm and quiet too, just like Norman is when playing his best. She found that children not only excelled when they were quiet, but also were more manageable and content. The act of being quiet allows us to be more receptive to feedback from our experiences, which is one of the conditions for getting into the zone. So how do you develop a quiet mind? Well, first it helps to know that that is your objective but instead of forcing yourself to be quiet, all you have to do is observe yourself without passing judgment. As odd as it may seem, the very act of stepping back and watching yourself is one way of putting yourself into a ‘present’ state of mind according to Eckhart Tolle, contemporary philosopher and bestselling author of The Power of Now. Simply observe, and little by little, your detachment will help you develop a calm, collected composure. The moment has passed for Greg Norman but your moment is still ahead of you. When you recognize that your intensity is hindering your performance step back from the situation. One way is to imagine that you are looking down on yourself from high up in a tree. Another technique is to look at yourself through the eyes of another person. Either way you’ll gain a new perspective on the course of action you need to take. Bob Skura is the author of the award-winning book, How Great Golfers Think – Perfecting Your Mental Game. For more information visit: www.howgreatgolfersthink.com

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