Kristine Joy, Writer

The Stats

For an elite athlete, which I do consider myself, I competed in 3 different sports quite poorly today.

I golfed 9 holes.

Prior to the start, I had high expectations of myself based on how I had played the last time around (a score of 45 on 9 holes on just my 6th or 7th outing).

After the start, I gave myself a pass on my 1st hole play because I literally walked out of work (the Clubhouse) following a 6 hour EARLY shift and to the first tee box.

My second shot on the 2nd hole went right, and by right, I mean right into the (East) woods.

I topped a ball in the fairway on 3 and then didn’t get under the next next ball with an iron, which sent my approach well over the green and into the (West) woods.

After 3 holes, my score was more than half of the 45 that I had posted for 9 holes just a week prior.

My response was to stop keeping score. I played 6 more holes in the same state of mind and matter to the point that each hole may as well have been a carbon copy of the previous; rushed, inept, lacking luster, frustrating, bull in china shop, inefficient and no where near my potential (assuming potential includes what may have been a one-off?).

The next sport on my docket was cycling. My body battery was ran down, but I set a goal and….well….enough said in my 📕 (whether my book is a good book is up for debate).

The 8 miles that I cycled was completed at a minimum effort (average watts of closer to 80 instead of a 128 on a similar ride last week). Dreadful from the start. Unmotivated throughout.

I then went on to play average pickleball.

You Win Some, You Lose Some

And that I did. Granted, this was high-level just shy of pro level pickleball and I was in the company of high-level just shy of pro players, but my problem (with myself) lies in the fact that each point, game and my play seemed the same throughout.

The idea crossed my mind to stop keeping score as I had done on the golf course, but I didn’t think that would go over very well with anyone else.

Monday Morning QB

For how smart I think I am, I stupidly didn’t think to the degree that methinks I needed to think!

Not once. Not while golfing. Not while cycling. Not while playing pickleball.

A little bit of some of the below may have gone a long way towards better golf, motivated cycling and a higher win % in pickleball.

Golf:

1. 🛑
2. What am I doing well? Not much.
3. What can I do better? Take my time. Keep my head down on the swing and up in general. Breathing exercises?
4. Be grateful that the score is a practice round and not a U.S. Open round, and that I’m golfing instead of laying in a hospital bed.
5. Realize that I’m still in learning mode. Play each hole as an independent hole, not impacted by a botched prior hole.
6. Take practice swings.
7. Smile and enjoy the companionship of those around me, beauty of the golf course, the weather and fact that I get to golf for free (if I work a crap ton of part-time hours but that’s besides the point).

Cycling:

1. 🛑
2. If I’m going to take the time to cycle, do it right.
3. Figure out a WHY that flips my mindset from trudgery to a positive realm before I begin.
4. Once in it, be in it to win it. Be present.

Pickleball

1. 🛑
2. Collaborate (with my partner).
3. Listen (I can’t think of an actual step here, but I had to finish the lyric 🧊🧊👶🏻).
4. Stop giving the lefty a flick that doesn’t give my ridiculously fast handed partner time to react.
5. As I preach to others, use my legs and kinetic chain more some despite the fact that they are dead via lifting, body battery and having trudged through cycling miles.

In Summation

Fact: I was active today.

Fact: When active today, my brain was inactive.

Fact: I’m certain that I would have been a better athlete today, and had better results, if my brain and body had been active.

SHOW UP –> WORK HARD –> PROBLEM SOLVE –> REPEAT