Few images conjure more fear than a 1-iron. If you play golf---as 26 million Americans do---you may have tried to wield this wicked club, nicknamed the “butter knife” for its severely thin, barely lofted blade. Swing it just right and the juicy sensation at impact is sublime. But taming a 1-iron takes near-perfect technique, hence 6-time major champion Lee Trevino’s famous quip: "If you are caught on a golf course during a storm and are afraid of lightning, hold up a 1-iron. Not even God can hit a 1-iron."
In recent years, equipment manufactures phased out the butter knife, offering instead a variety of humpbacked “hybrid” clubs with generous sweet spots that compensate for flawed swings. Golf balls have gotten a bit livelier, too. Armed with the latest weapons, hackers swooned as their scores improved: Between 1994 and 2008 the average handicap index for male golfers fell two points, to 14.6 from 16.5 (lower is better)---a drop that coincided with, as Golf Digest reported, “the greatest expansion in golf technology in history.”
Alas, while the clubs and balls got better, their owners---more or less---still sucked. Soon every weekend warrior had the same souped-up equipment, eliminating its advantage. Worse, now that their bad technique still produced good shots, poor players had less incentive to put in the hard work needed to groove mechanically sound, pressure-proof and ultimately satisfying swings.
And, really: What is progress without satisfaction?
It’s a question worth pondering as we all resolve to progress in 2013. According to a recent study published in the University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology, an estimated 45% of Americans will make New Year’s resolutions. Here are the top 10:
- Lose Weight
- Getting Organized
- Spend Less, Save More
- Enjoy Life To The Fullest
- Staying Fit And Healthy
- Learn Something Exciting
- Quit Smoking
- Help Others In Their Dreams
- Fall In Love
- Spend More Time With Family
Run-of-the-mill stuff, frankly.
Here's my challenge to you, dear reader: Learn how to hit your 1-iron, whatever that may be. No quick fixes, no temporary measures, no cosmetic tweaks. Only lasting, fundamental improvement.
For example, don’t “lose weight”---be healthy. Don’t “get organized”---stay organized. Don’t “spend more time” with family---share quality time with them.
Want your small business to grow? You could spend 5% more on marketing and hope sales increase. Or, you could refine your overall strategy, prune personnel, shed unprofitable accounts, streamline procedures and upgrade systems. In other words, don’t “boost the top line”---improve the organization.
To be clear, fundamental change isn’t satisfying just because it demands a ton of work. It’s satisfying because it builds trust.
Great golfers hit great shots because they trust their swings. When Jack Nicklaus pulled out his 1-iron at the 238-yard 17th hole at Pebble Beach in the final round of the 1972 U.S. Open, he knew one thing: That ball was going right at the flagstick. (It landed within inches of the cup.) The same goes for entrepreneurs, investors, soldiers, artists, spouses and all the rest of us making resolutions for 2013.
The 1-iron is a mean and magnificent blade. Master it and you’ll trust every swing you make.
See also:
Fifty Important Lessons New York City Taught Me
The 23 Most Important Questions In Business
The Real Definition Of Entrepreneur---And Why It Matters
