Lexi Thompson is one of the premiere women golfers in the world. At only 23 years old, she’s already amassed remarkable accomplishments on and off the course. Earlier this year, she shocked the golf world by taking a month-long hiatus in the middle of the year, skipping one of the major championships. This past week upon her return to the tour, she explained her reasons at a press conference.
The simple answer is she was mentally and physically exhausted. While that may seem odd to hear from a 23 year old, consider that in the past 18 months, she suffered a major meltdown in a tournament that she should have won easily, dealt with her mother’s fight with breast cancer, grieved over the death of her grandmother, and suffered a hand injury. She did all this on a worldwide stage and it ultimately took its toll. She realized golf had been her whole life and now she needed time seek out more. Two sentences from her press conference caught my attention. She said, “I’m not a robot out here. I need to have a life.”
Athletes and entertainers are often viewed by the public as immune to human frailties. Athletes are expected to rebound from injury without missing a beat; entertainers are supposed to not be swayed by criticism. In other words, they can often be mistaken for “robots.” As Ms. Thompson points out, they are not.
And neither are you.
I’m assuming that people who read this are successfully and gainfully working on running businesses, creating careers, and leading a great life with family. It’s easy to get caught in a mindset where we consider ourselves immune to criticism, drama, mistakes, illnesses, injury, and often just plain bad luck. I regularly talk to clients about life balance techniques, as I also work to practice what I preach.
While Lexi Thompson was never in danger of missing a meal due to her sabbatical, it was a significant – and an unheard of – thing to do. She took time away that she could afford to get her mind, body, and spirit right again. The consequences of not doing it could have been disastrous; while the results will likely lead to a more relaxed and confident golfer and person.
We could all use a little dose of relaxed and confident, couldn’t we? Maybe even this week…
Quote of the Week:
”It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
~ Nelson Mandela
© 2018 Toro Consulting, Inc. All Rights Reserved
The key to personal and professional improvement is accountability. My mentoring and coaching program has availability. Contact me at [email protected] or (360) 271-1592 to apply.
