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The Fairway Of Life
Simple Secrets To Playing Better Golf By Going With The Flow ~
Rand Scott Marquardt
Life & Mental Golf Performance Coach 
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The Universe works in mysterious ways. I am inviting you to trust this vibrational power that is within you and within all things. Do you really want to become a better golfer, or are you just venting? The first place to begin is to set a powerful intention and ask, or declare, or intend. It’s where dreams may come and hearts desires flow from. Instead of show me and I will believe it, you must believe it and you will see it. Incredible paradigm shifts will begin to show up in your life on and off the golf course once you fully commit and play full out in being a leading edge, deliberate creator.
“Until one is committed, there is a hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would come his way. Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now,” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.
Here’s how it works. You ask, you declare, you intend, you commit (Step 1) The Universe always answers with a YES – Your Wish is Your Command, even when you shout NO at something (Step 2), now it is your job to allow it in (Step 3), simple…yet very profound. What happens next is up to you. For whatever you resist, persists. Whatever resistance comes up is “your” next lesson. If you have fully committed and played full out you will understand, begin to notice, become aware of how everything changes and shifts occur. If you are simply giving this lip service, and most of you will, then your dream will shrivel back into the soil from whence it sprang, and you may declare that this doesn’t work. Either way, you’re both right.
Here’s another nugget – Whatever kind of golfer you are intending to be – Be as you wish to seem. In other words, act as if it is already so. You will gravitate towards your hearts desire. Be both hungry and humble as you allow this powerful life force to work to you and through you. Give credit and be grateful to where it is really coming from – All That Is.
Feeling stuck – give me a call.
The Power Lies Within YOU!
Always has been…and always will be.
What is your greatest ambition in life and for your golf game?
What kind of a golfer do you know yourself to be? What do you want?
I came to this decision after years of trying very hard to work on my game – with very little to show for it. If only I could find that magic swing. If only I could drop into the slot. If only I could stay behind the ball. If only I could finish my swing; not be so nervous; remember what I’m doing; be on plane; figure this game out… If only I…
One day while in the middle of an intense internal “spiritual processing” program I announced that while I was here to work on my own internal understandings about God and about Life I also stated that it would be nice to play better golf too! It was if I was too afraid to ask to become a better golfer, ashamed of my fears – hiding behind an insecure little boy. All those years of trying so hard to figure it out – beating one range ball after another. The thought of becoming a better golfer kept coming up and I couldn’t deny it any longer. It was like, hmmm… perhaps this is another reason why I am here as well? I finally asked one of my Life Coaches about it while walking downstairs in a hotel while going to another processing program. Jim asked me what’s holding me back? I said I guess it’s my fears and afraid to play like I know I am capable of. He said, “Can you be with that?” Wow, no one ever gave me that kind of answer. Can I be with it?
As the 33 straight days of intense Life Education Program ended I came back home from my little cocoon, and gradually integrated myself back into “normal” society. Whoa, what a trip! I probably felt a little bit like Ricky Williams, the Miami Dolphins running back when he was off doing his healing and cleansing at his retreat, not too mention what Tiger is going through right now. It’s about coming clean, being authentic, and open to new understandings about life. Anyway, I took in quite a bit of stuff, to say the least. I also learned or was reminded about The Power of Intention, and to trust the power of The Universe, which at one time might have seemed more like the genie with the magic lamp – airy fairy woo-woo stuff.
After all this, I was now “ready” to put this stuff into play. It felt kind of like a test, like okay let’s give this understanding a real life experience. Let’s set a powerful intention. Let’s announce and declare, express and experience, become and fulfill who I really am. The “announce and declare” stuff is what I did. “I’m gonna be a five handicap or less by July 4th.” It stunned me to say this out loud. These are my words, my declaration, and my intention. I knew that you don’t have to know HOW, or BE READY. You just have to set the intention, commit fully, and really trust. That whole summer became an incredible roller coaster ride that tested my resolve, my fears, my acceptance, my perseverance, and my trust. I simply noticed, observed, and allowed whatever to come up, come up. Needless to say, my handicap steadily dropped from a 10 to a 7 to a 4.3 by July 4th. I then proceeded to set a new intention, “Okay Universe, awesome, I’m grateful…now I’m going to be a 2 handicap by the end of the summer.” I ended the summer at a 1.2 handicap.
The trick is learning to maintain an unwavering focus
upon your desired end result, your completed dream, the “finish line,”
without insisting upon, or even contemplating, its means of attainment,
no matter how logical, obvious, or tempting it may seem.
–Totally Unique Thoughts
This was and is my reality and my truth. What works for you, will be your reality and your truth. I’m simply inviting you to get in the game in a new way versus trying so hard to figure it out. Or perhaps you think you’ve already got it figured out? Is it working? That feeling of surrender and letting go, and letting God is what it was like for me. I tried the “I’ll figure this out path for 35 years.” Remember: The Power lies within YOU!
Three levels of awareness: I also see how this evolution and growth works in everything in life, including our golf game. Where are you?
1. Hope – I hope to make a thing happen, but it might not. I sure hope it does.
2. Belief – I have faith a thing will happen. I feel certain it will. I have faith in the outcome.
3. Knowing – I know a thing will happen. Knowing is a statement of fact. The energy of knowing is more powerful than any other energy in The Universe.
* Golf: I love it when I know I will sink this putt, stiff this shot, or hit a great drive!
Be as you wish to seem!
Divine Feelings in 2009 - Part II
We play out best in life and golf when we are being our most inspired state of being, whatever that is for each of us. What are those feelings of being that most resonate with you when you are being your best? Are you being clear, wise, connected, knowing? Or are you being happy, peaceful, following your bliss? Are you feeling exhilaration, eager anticipation, or calmness in the moment like a simple stroll in the park? Whatever your most inspired state of being and how you feel when you are being your best is what I am asking you to reach for. The more we train ourselves into being this first, the easier it will be to have what we desire, and do what we wanted all along - play our best golf! I’m simply inviting you to go straight into being that. Here’s a few mental tips to practice in your daily routine. Take a few minutes each day to practice feeling the divine feelings that make you feel good.
Now in the stillness of your soul or meditation or prayer of your mind, body, and spirit feel the feelings and real involve all your senses to anchor (or remind) you to what your soul is really after. That’s all I’m really doing reminding you to what you already know. To better serve you and anchor these feelings simply follow these 8 steps or make up your own:
1. Call forth the sights or images that align with your feelings. It could be your dream, your meditation, your prayer, a calm lake, a gentle flowing stream, or recalling those special moments when you were playing your best golf. Simply allow yourself to see the images you have called forth to anchor that divine feeling you wish to experience.
2. Call forth the feelings that align with your most inspired state of being. Am I feeling appreciation, gratitude, humility, peace, harmony, joy, love, and Well-Being flow through my body? Am I feeling empowered, on fire, freedom to express, and a feeling of just knowing? Am I being clear, wise, connected, or happy? Am I being who I really am? Am I going with the flow? Personally, I have a humble, yet inspired feeling that when I’m playing my best golf I feel I am on top of the world, and I am most grateful to Source Energy in experiencing that. I thank God for allowing this wonderful state of being to flow to me and through me.
3. Call forth the sounds or vibrations that most resonate with that feeling. It could be church bells, birds chirping, or a favorite song on your mp3 player, a well-struck golf ball, or communication with Source Energy. Example: When I’m in The Zone I hear the Bruce Springsteen song lyrics, “…whoa oh oh I’m on fire.” Then I go on with other thoughts about life or nature until it is time to hit another golf shot. I’m resonating in the now feeling good. Identify what vibration that would smell like? Pure, natural, pine trees, cedar, chocolate, fresh cut crass, or magic in the air? Tiger Woods and his caddie, Stevie pay attention to all of these senses between golf shots even the smell of a hot dog from the gallery. It helps to ground us in the present moment. What are the colors that you most associate with? Are they green like nature, or blue like the sky, or white like the fallen snow, or red like the pureness of heart?
4. Next, find a sentence or two that will affirm these feelings. Find, a phrase or an expression of your highest Self. “I am an extension of Source Energy and Well-Being flows to me and through me.” It could be your mantra or prayer. It could come from an inspirational quote, song, or from a poem. “I’m on fire.” Pick one or two of these phrases that most align with the agenda of your soul as you “Follow your bliss,” by Joseph Campbell. Pick a word that will describe these feelings, like “Serenity,” “Peaceful,” or “Joy.”
5. As you visualize upon these feelings and your ideal state of being allow the wisdom within you to take action as you gravite towards the picture you paint in your dreams. Now that you can see and feel and be what your end result or dream may look like simply take action, and as Socrates used to say, “Be as you wish to seem.” Take action that will support your journey along your true path and simply act as if it is so. Simply behave as if you already have this. No worries because once you make the commitment to be this, the hows will present themselves in a most enlightening and awe-inspiring way. God works in mystery ways my friends and very often you will be presented with this understanding in ways beyond your wildest imagination. Ask and it is given. Now be aware and align yourself with your asking and soon you will be living this manifestation, this life of your dreams. Be as you wish to seem and act as if it so. Let Go and let God. Go ahead and take action and ground yourself with these new thoughts, which form our behavior that will ultimately get deposited into the treasury of your subconscious mind – that runs everything in your life including your golf game. The thoughts, words, and action forming your new behavior will come in many forms, just as does God. You cannot miss them once you listen. Your job is to be who you really are, follow your bliss and be as you wish to seem. Be the feelings of the divine expression of who you really are and then you will do, act, and behave from that state which will produce your having what you wanted all along. You simply sync up with how life really works.
6. Remember The Magic Formula: End Result (your dream, your intention) plus Action (just take the next logical step) equals The Hows (divine inspiration) plus Manifestation (living your dream). You live the life of your dreams.
7. Journal, create a vision board, post notes, anchor yourself with your newfound desire, and take action. Keep on asking yourself, will this make me a better me?
8. Now, go to sleep with this new intention and really involve all your senses and feelings. Spend 5-10 minutes visualizing and giving thanks. Wake up in the morning feeling good. Spend another 5-10 minutes visualizing and giving thanks. Show up big with everyone in your life and embrace the uggs, and the highs and lows along The Fairway of Life. It’s all a “perfect plan” unfolding right in front of your eyes. Spend 15-20 minutes meditating or being still every day away from all the normal noise of the world and things to do. Very soon you won’t have to worry about your New Years Resolutions because you’ll be living your dream and becoming everything you desired all along. It all comes full circle. “Be as you wish to seem,” Socrates.
Warmly,
Coach
Divine Feelings in 2009 - Part I
Okay, so you’ve got your vision or New Years golf resolution picture clearly painted in your minds eye, and you’ve declared out loud in front of others what you truly desire to be as a golfer this coming year; a lower handicap, more free to express yourself, break 90 on a consistent basis, a better putter, or world’s #1. You have haven’t you? Declaring out loud in front of another sets this whole process (commitment) of Providence (divine inspiration) into motion. Without a direction we become like the ship without a rudder. Reflect upon the wisdom of Albert Einstein, “Imagine your ideal future. Your imagination is your preview to life’s coming attractions.” You will become what you think about. You will gravitate towards the desire of your highest ambition. The mystery is solved when you decide to choose these things rather than waiting to someday discover them by chance. Remember the ending of this quote largely attributed to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, “…Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now.”
Kenny Perry, a PGA Tour veteran even surprised himself with doing some goal setting in 2008 by achieving his goal of being on the Ryder Cup team, saying something to the affect (paraphrasing), ‘Perhaps there is something here, something more to take a look at…’ Yes Kenny, you achieved because you put your mind and commitment upon this intention and believed it to be so. What’s new for 2009?
You see this first step is what keeps so many stuck in the same comfort zone rut year after year. While this concept seems so simple most golfers have no idea where they are going with their golf game, yet alone where they are going in life and the evolution and agenda of their soul. Most golfers think struggle and hard work on the range and body position is the key to a good golf game. I agree that practice and range work is part of this process, however I would replace the concept of struggle with allowing it to be. I also invite my students to first set an intention or a New Years golf resolution first. For a current review of creating a New Years golf resolution please read my last blog dated 12/30/08 to get yourself up to speed with this vital first step…then you will begin your journey by taking action and life will unfold as easily and as logically as Spock might say, ‘My calculations tell me that if you just take the next logical step you will 100% achieve the results you desire.’ All life is asking and all you are asking of yourself is just taking the next logical step. And when we do this we naturally allow the process to unfold in perfect timing. This is The Secret of the universe. It’s called The Law of Attraction – that which is likened unto it self is drawn. We Become What We Think.
The Secret (or the answer and wisdom) lies within you. It is the alignment with who you really are. It is the connection with Source Energy that allows the flow of Well-Being. It is this alignment and connection that is sought after by all. It is these expressions of alignment of Well-Being and this connection with life that we all desire to experience. It is the key to our peace, happiness, and joy within. Success is actually the amount of joy that we feel. What is it that you wish to be and feel? What state of beingness most inspires you? Go straight into being and feeling that both in life and on the golf course.
Another way to describe this alignment and connection is what are these feelings or expressions do you most desire to align with? What divine feeling do you want to explore or align with this coming year? What is the feeling, the frequency, or vibration? What is this energy that most resonates within your soul? Please take a moment to reflect and journal about this energy and this feeling.
What is this feeling? How will this feeling serve to make the dream (your dream) of the sacred universe come true? How does this feeling serve the greater whole?
* Help those around you?
* Heal your own heart?
* Make me a better me?
* Stretch beyond your comfort zone? Take risks? Color outside the box?
* Play golf & life like it is meant to be – for FUN!
* Step into the calling and next highest demonstration of your soul?
* Listen to the agenda of your soul. What the soul is after is the highest expression of who you really are. Feelings are the language of the soul. What is this feeling?
* How will this or these feeling(s) allow you to recreate yourself anew? And…
* “Become the grandest version of the greatest vision ever you have held about who you really are,” Neale Donald Walsch?
We all have these feelings, these levels of consciousness and connection with All That Is, this vibrational energy when we align with the frequency that resonates within our soul right inside us all the time. You see frustration and anxiety comes from not listening to one’s soul. Our job, therefore, is to align with our higher Self and these divine feelings and activate them. Think of it as a wake up call. Many of us have been going through life in a slumber sleep walk being tossed and reacting to life here and there as it unfolds as if it is by default, now I am asking you and reminding you to simply wake up again and choose to create intentionally. Wake up to the highest most divine expression of who you really are. Your soul has brought you to what you are being right now. Jesus described it this way, “Once I was lost and now I am found.” What is the divine feeling of being found?
…Stay tuned for the second half of this story
Be Intent – Be As You Wish To Seem
The law of attraction states that which is likened unto it self is drawn. Thoughts create things and thoughts create swings. We become what we think. Intentions are a form of focused thought, similar to a goal, a desire from within, or having a dream. To be intent is to set your intention upon your desire where you literally drown out any other reverberation to the contrary. My friend Melissa from New Zealand and friends have created an entire program called beintent.com focusing on inspiring and drawing out your gifts that lie within.
In the words of Socrates, this means to “be as you wish to seem.” Think about it. Simply be as you wish to seem is such a simple, yet enlightening understanding. The same goes for everything else in our life. Mahatma Gandhi declared that we must be the change we wish to see in the world. To be as you wish to seem comes from a calling deep within your soul…it is your hearts desire and this desire if strong enough will over-ride any other vibration or belief you may have – and most of us carry with us a limited belief system based upon following the ways of the world. Most of us have given up on our dreams and neglected this key inspiration that springs forth from our desire. The real key or secret is to break free from this limited based thinking, get back on your true path, listen to the whisper of your soul, and be your hearts desires – as you wish to seem and act as if it was so.
When we are being as we wish to seem we gravitate toward the picture we are painting in our minds eye. This is what Tiger Woods dreamt about long before he eventually became the world’s #1 golfer. Be as you wish to seem and act as if it is so. Then one day you wake up living your dream. And whenever you are not being as you wish to seem, stop, catch yourself, find relief, and reach for the best feeling thought you can. Tiger refuses to give in to any fear either real or imagined that is out of alignment with his thinking of who he choses to be and become. Tiger knows there is only Well-Being flowing to him and through him. He’s free to fully express himself to his full potential. Isn’t that what we all want - freedom to fully express ourselves to our full potential. You tell me what you want and I’ll show you how to get it! The answer: One by one we let go of all the resistances, obstacles, or illusions we’ve allowed to run our subconscious mind. “Removing the clouds does not cause the sun to shine, but merely reveals that which was hidden all along,” Dr. David R. Hawkins. You see The Zone is like the sun, always flowing.
What kind of golfer do you desire to be? What kind of a person do you desire to be? Go straight into being that. Neale Donald Walsch talks about this be, do, have principle in his Conversations with God books and international speaking engagements. The Be-Do-Have Paradigm is another universal and spiritual law of creation. Most people get it backwards; they think that when they finally have this, then they will be able to do that, and then they can be this. In his book, Conversations with God, Book 3, Neale Donald Walsch discusses this principle with greater clarity. And you can substitute your own descriptions as they relate to your life on and off the golf course. I use Neale’s template and add golf specific examples to it. I find this very interesting as all of life operates the same way.
Most people believe if they have a thing (more time, more money, more love, a better golf game), then they can finally do a thing (write a book, go on vacation, buy a home, take up a hobby, undertake a relationship, really play better golf), which will allow them to be a thing (happy, peaceful, content, in love, or a calm, confident golfer).
In actuality, they are reversing the Be-Do-Have Paradigm. In the universe as it really is (as opposed to how you think it is), “havingness” does not produce “beingness,” but the other way around. First you “be” a thing called “happy” (or “knowing,” or “wise,” or “compassionate,” “calm,” “clear,” or whatever), then you start “doing” things from this place of beingness—and soon you discover that what you are doing winds up bringing you the things you’ve always wanted to “have.”
The way to set this creative process (and that’s what this is . . . the process of creation) into motion is to look at what it is you want to “have,” ask yourself what you think you would “be” if you “had” that, then go right straight to being. In this way you reverse the way you’ve been using the Be-Do-Have Paradigm—in actuality, set it right—and work with, rather than against, the creative power of the universe. Here is the short way of stating this principle: In life, you do not have to do anything. It is all a question of what you are being.
As in golf, so in life it is a matter of what you are being. Your state of beingness sets the stage for what you are doing, what you will have, and for how you will play. Your state of being (focused, clear, creative, artistic, poetic, confident, relaxed, calm, present, machine-like) produces your doing (your takeaway, back swing, rhythm, tempo, lag, whip, strike, follow through) which allows you to have (scoring, enjoyment, fun, prize money). It is the order of life’s paradigm that matters. You are a human being first. So stop trying to find the right and perfect thing to do and start creating the right and perfect thing to be. Be your most inspired state of being on the golf course and allow yourself to do it. Then you will be having fun and the results, scoring, or prize money will take care of itself.
Be as you wish to seem, be your hearts desire, and listen to your feelings, which is the language of your soul. You are brilliant and magnificent, worthy and loved, and if you do not know that, then that’s the problem and it’s high time you get back in the game focusing on the solution. You can be, do, or have whatever your heart desires.
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