One of the big ideas we present to readers in The Puddle Club is something called “Personal Par”
Most folks understand what par means in golf — Par is the number of strokes (hits) it should take you to get your ball from the tee box into the hole. Each tee box has a marker nearby that tells you what the par is. A par 4 means it should take 4 hits, par 3 means 3 hits, etc. Par is the same for every golfer and never changes. The only thing that is variable is the tee box itself. Most golf courses have three that are set at different distances from the hole. The par remains the same.
Personal Par is a little different. Personal Par is the number of tries it takes you to reach a goal in life. You’ve set the goal, now you must work towards that goal. Someone who reaches the goal quickly has a low personal par for that achievement. Someone who takes more time and has a longer journey has a high personal par.
A high personal par is not negative!
Instead it just means the journey may take longer and be more interesting. The real important part to remember is that the journey is what matters most, not the result. You will win some and lose some but nothing happens if you don’t get moving towards your goal.
Every human being has a fluctuating personal par that is low or high, depending on the situation, skill set and obstacles. The exciting thing is that over time you can bring your personal par down by mastering the skills needed to reach your goal.
So what are you waiting for?
Set goals and begin your journey because winning and losing are just PAR FOR THE COURSE in the game of life.
MICHAEL McGRUTHER 