The Mask
“We are all actors according to the thoughts we have. We can believe and act like a champion and open doors to greatness. Or we can look at negative stats and listen to the naysayers in our lives and believe they tell the whole story and that we are stuck back in the pack.”
- The Psychology of Tournament Golf, p. 66
I had an aspiring Champion’s PGA Tour player tell me that if he could only putt, he could make it. To him, putting was holding him back from accomplishing his lifelong dream of earning a spot on the Champions Tour. He was a club pro and top instructor at the time.
I was leading a session for other club professionals on the psychology of putting, and he was there to support and give credibility to my words. We were between groups and had a few minutes to kill on the putting green. I asked him, if he could putt like anyone in the world, who would it be? He chose Curtis Strange, who had won a couple of US Opens in a row. I challenged him to audition for the part, to become Curtis for the next 10 minutes. I told him I was a director of the movie looking for someone to play the part. To my surprise, he took me up on it.
For the next few minutes he putted brilliantly. His method didn’t change as much as did his posture, grip-pressure, and rhythm. He looked at me with surprise. I challenged him to stay in character. After a while he stopped, amazed. Then I asked the question, “Was that you or Curtis Strange putting?” He looked confused for a moment but learned a great lesson. It was him, of course. He had just set aside the heavy weight of the false identity mask he had allowed to steal his true identity and talent.
We are all actors according to the thoughts we have. We can believe and act like a champion and open doors to greatness. Or we can look at negative stats and to naysayers in our lives and believe they tell the whole story and that we are stuck back in the pack. This great gentleman made a four-foot putt on the final hole one year later at the Champions Tour Qualifying School to secure the final spot on the Champions Tour. The next time I saw him I called out his name. He looked at me and said, “It’s Curtis Strange to you!”
“So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith…”
- Galatians 3:26 NIV
Join Dr. Cook in the locker room, behind the bench, and in the boardroom as he shares the hidden principles of greatness. This unique vantage point and the stories that unfold will inspire and equip you on the journey to your dreams. greatness is open to all but only pursued by a few. It is the space beyond success where calling and legacy meet and a noble heart is required.
Get the book for yourself or as a gift and invite your loved ones to discover the space beyond success, the place of their true calling.