Passion for Preparation

My brother often comments with a certain sarcasm as to how long it takes me to prepare for a round of golf. Heck, sometimes I even begin planning the night before. Cleaning my clubs, stocking the bag, and shining my shoes of course.

In fact, most of the time I enjoyed the pre-golf more than the actual event. Seriously, even as a decent player its the anticipation that gives me the most pleasure. After all the shots are counted, the birdies, pars, boogies or worse, at the end of the day it really wasn’t “the play”. It was the expectation and the passion I have for “preparation”.

I’m the same way in my business life. As much as I relish creating good work, solving a big problem or selling my ideas, I lose myself in the process of preparation. Writing an article or book is actually “preparation” if you think about it. You’re “preparing” to tell a story, and it’s not read until its “sold” to someone else. But the passion is in the preparation much more than the end result, when the work is completed and the deal is closed.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love “game day” and derive great satisfaction from a job well done, on or off the golf course. But no one in the history of this planet comes out “ready” for prime time. It takes a real passion to be great, and the proof is in the preparation…

So as my polar opposite brother comes careening into his country club parking lot on two wheels, shoes and balls flying about as his trunk pops open before the car stops, he just might make his tee time…

Ask any touring pro or successful person in the know. You can have a passion to play, but you will have to pay if you don’t prepare every day.