Through the years, different sports have taught me about life.

I have been thankful for the lessons I have learned. Now, I am watching my grandsons and my granddaughter playing sports and learning valuable lessons.

Over the last couple of days, I have participated in a conference for a small group of ministers. We began by playing golf together. We had a great time.

Here’s what I learned. (Be sure to read all the way to the bottom so that you don’t miss the final lesson!)

First, keep your mind focused on what you’re doing. In golf, you have to think about golf and nothing else. That’s why golf relaxes me. I give it all I have, and I try not to let anything creep in while I’m playing.

Isn’t that what we should do in most areas of life? We need to be in the moment. Family time should focus on our families. Work should be about work. It’s important to focus on what matters.

Second, give your best but don’t try to control everything. Golf is not about controlling everything. It’s really about letting your club do the work. One of my problems is that I want to hit the ball as hard as possible. That’s football, but it’s not golf.

Life is full of areas that don’t need to be controlled, such as wives, husbands, or children. These areas need to be loved and led, but not controlled.

Third, remember that it’s the people around you that makes golf fun. I’ve played golf by myself, but that’s an entirely different experience. We need people, and we need relationships.

Finally, don’t take yourself too seriously. I play golf left-handed. If I had to be as good as Phil Mickelson to play golf, I would have quit long ago.

When I play golf, I really learn that I’m not very good at it 🙂 Life is full of areas where you can’t be the best, but you can do your best and enjoy the journey along the way.

What has golf taught you?

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