Bryan’s Blog

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I played an unexpected round of golf this morning and realized that golf is a great metaphor for Life.

You have set goals that fluctuate daily, and are not horribly specific. There is an overall goal and many small goals. You make choices at every turn and more than one choice is good. An arsenal of tools is available. Friends, associates, professionals and even people you don’t know provide advice and criticism. In the end, only you decide your course of action and reap any rewards and handle any upsets.

In golf, granted, the goals are slightly more specific–hit the ball to the fairway, avoid the sand traps and water hazards, land on the green (preferably with two or more shots remaining before par) and hit the ball into the little hole (all hopefully under “par”). At each step of the way, your tools consist of the clubs in your bag, the balls you hit and the mechanics in your swing. Any training you’ve had will help your decision, and you can turn to friends and colleagues to offer advice; you’re free to ignore any of that. Sometimes your shots will be almost perfect; often they’ll be slightly good; sometimes they’ll land you in trouble. People can learn much about others by seeing how they handle the duffed shots in golf. Will he play it exactly where it is? Will she cut that corner or play a “safe” recovery? Will the infamous “foot wedge” be deployed?

Regardless of how you play the game of golf (or life), you are defined by the decisions you make and how you handle the consequences. Employ a foot wedge with great humor and people will hardly say a word. Continue to force the same situation with a bad temper and people will begin to think that’s all you have. As a freelancer, that sort of decision is doubly important. Your personality will often shine through more since you don’t have the luxury of hiding behind the corporate identity. Don’t take chances with your clients: keep your humor above the fold.

Use the tools you have available, and seek advice where you can. Some people are lucky enough to have a caddy (in life or golf). When you have someone you can trust to that degree, do so. They’re not out there to see anything but you do your best. In life, this person can be a good friend, a mentor or a family member. Don’t abuse the relationship, but don’t worry that you’re a burden, either.

So whether you’re designing a new publication, writing a chamber symphony or teeing off on the ninth, remember: use the tools you own, the relationships you’ve fostered and a bit of luck to hit the small goals, but recover gracefully when you hit the hazards.

I’ll see you on the course.