Making mistakes is one of the keys to deep practice, developing talent, and success.
The Masters Tournament was again a week as good as it gets in golf. Maybe not the fireworks we sometimes see on the back nine, but an amazing last hour of golf.
During the time I watched the Masters, I was also reading an amazing book called "The Talent Code," by Daniel Coyle. EVERYONE who wants to understand what it takes to improve and develop talent would do well to read this book. And what the book discusses is relevant to what happened in the Masters to not only Brandt Snedeker but to Adam Scott and Jason Day.
Adam had the great disappointment of not winning the British Open last year; and of course won the Masters this year. Brandt and Jason, on the other hand, did not win – in the normal sense of the word – but moved themselves forward in developing the ability to win Major Championships in the future.
The Talent Code talks about 3 elements of developing Talent – Deep Practice, Ignition, and Master Coaching. I would suggest that:
1. Adam was able to get the Deep Practice and make valuable mistakes at the British Open. He learned from these, had good folks around him who could help him put things in perspective, and used the experience to perform at the Ultra level needed to win a major championship.
2. Brandt and Jason, on the other hand, were getting some of the Deep Practice they need to move to the next level of ability and confidence to be able to win majors in the future. They both have the raw tools and game needed to win, they just needed to make mistakes and learn from them when they again get in the pressure cooker of a Major.
The popular media often will talk of golfers like Brandt and Jason as failing and choking. Brandt and Jason, though, can best view what they have done as making mistakes that can lead to future success.
Others who in the past have done this, and often we forget this, are David Duval, Phil Michelson, and even Annika Sorenstam.
So what does this mean for US? Be less critical of yourself when you make mistakes and do not get the results you are hoping for. Look objectively at how you performed, see what you can do to improve your performance, and use the mistake as a Catalyst to learn and get better. And put yourself in Pressure Situations when you practice, so that practice can feel more difficult than when you are performing on the golf course.
My prediction – Brandt will win one of the big ones soon – largely BECAUSE of the mistakes he has made at Augusta!
The Fit Is IT!!
Tony