I played my first round of golf of the season today, and I did the thing I always like to do early in the season: Instead of taking a golf cart, I walked.
There’s the exercise component of it — walking the course, particularly up here in the mountains, requires real effort. (Today’s round: 5.5 miles of walking, and the equivalent of 22 floors of elevation change.)
But there’s another reason: It gives me time to think.
When I drive a cart, I’m always rushing on to the next shot. But when I walk, I’ve got time to consider what just happened. I think about adjustments I need to make, and go through the next shot. Before I even get over the ball, I’ve already talked myself through what I need to do.
I try to do the same thing with my work, too. Sometimes, it feels like I’m in such a rush from one call to the next, one from project to another. I don’t even give myself time to think.
And that’s where it helps to block off a few hours on the calendar to take a step back. Whenever the weather cooperates, I try to get outside for a little walk by myself, or get on the phone to talk with a friend about what I’m going through. And I love doing quarterly reviews to evaluate what’s working and what isn’t.
You can’t just rush onto the next thing. You need to give yourself time to think.
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I took that photo on the back nine at Mountain Dell Golf Course, in Salt Lake City. On the long walk up that hill, I had a realization about my swing — and played the final seven holes just four shots over par. (For me, that’s about as good as it gets!)