Attitude of Gratitude

Camilo Villegas won the Honda Classic recently by five shots - his first win since September, 2008. Being that it closely following a 62 in the Phoenix Open the week before his performance was no fluke. So what’s the reason for his sudden improvement in play? It turns out Camillo has been inspired by an attitude of gratitude. His mental game coach, Gio Valiante used that term to instill an operating emotion in Camilo about three weeks ago. An attitude of gratitude is a concept used by psychologists and self-help gurus to assist people in getting out of their own way. And don’t we all know that golfers need to get out of their own way at times. It’s also a positive emotion that comes from acknowledging benefits a person has or will receive. Research shows that grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, have higher levels of self-control, more purpose in life, more self-acceptance and are better able to cope with difficulties than ungrateful people. Whew. That’s quite a list! Where can we buy a package of this Gratefulness? The answer is anywhere. According to a study by Emmons & McCullogh, 2003, you can have all the brand name Gratitude you want by keeping a weekly journal. Simply write down a few of the things you’re grateful for once in a while and you won’t be such a grumpmeister. Sergio, are you listening? Camilo not only talks the talk, he walks the walk. Early last week he played host to the first-ever Nationwide Tour event in his home country of Columbia. You could tell from interviews how grateful he was for that opportunity and it was a perfect mindset he rode all the way to the finish line at the Honda. We all have things to be grateful for. Start your gratitude list today and improve your mental game.