Written by What are you afraid to try? What has been ringing in your ear for the last couple of weeks, months, days, that you are dying to try? My second question is, what is stopping you? Maybe this is something you have never directly addressed, but I challenge you to think about this for a couple of minutes and then return to reading.
As a 7th grader, I decided I was going to play volleyball. I grew up from ages 2-14 a gymnast, I played summer softball, and tried soccer here and there. After 12 years I decided to step away from gymnastics and try new things, there were volleyball tryouts the next week. I decided I would try out because volleyball always seemed so much fun, and I had gone from practicing gymnastics 22 hours a week to nothing. I played school ball and then joined a club team, which I would play all through high school. I continued playing through college but then I was presented with a challenge, which would end up turning into one of the best things that have ever happened to me.
I got cut. Yep, in college, my coaches sat me down and told me that my scholarship was going to be reduced the following semester and there was nothing I could do about it. After pouring 8 years into the game, I could not believe that this was happening. I worked as hard as I possibly could, I did all that I physically could have, and it simply wasn’t enough. However, as time continued it became more clear to me that everything I did was enough, but it was not my destiny. My life was calling for something different and it was going to take being cut from my college team for me to understand that.
One week later I got a text from the head golf coach at my school informing me that the team was going to fold if they did not get 5 girls by the next fall. I had never golfed before in my life, I had gone out for fun with my family but in terms of ever finishing 9 or 18 holes, it had never been done up until this point. I took a lot of time thinking about this, as a religious person I prayed to God to help me clearly see what was going on, and I reflected.
After 2-3 days hard reality hit me that I needed to make a decision in order to guarantee my scholarship and allow me to finish my degree. So I called the golf coach back and told him I would join the team. My first tournament happened 1 week after I joined, so it was time to learn how to golf. After my first tournament, I knew that I was here for a reason and that I had possibly tapped into my destiny. As I said, I had never played so as bad as I was, it was very hard to see, but the still small voice speaking in the back of my brain told me that there was more to this.
I began working day in and day out, I started learning about golf, reading, watching, playing, I enjoyed every minute of it. As time progressed I went on to break 100, then a year later I broke 90 shooting an 86. Once I started getting into the lower numbers I knew that I had really tapped into something.
I went on to work as a caddie at a country club near my home. I helped teach kids and beginning women the game. I learned even more about golf and met some really great people. I then went on to work as a Producer/Reporter of a junior golf tour in Orlando, FL. Every time I arrived at a golf course I felt that was where I was supposed to be. That there was simply more to my purpose than what I was tapping into.
In my fall Senior semester, I would finish my collegiate career. As graduation grew closer and closer I knew that I was not ready to walk away. I still continued working day in and day out on my game. In my senior season, I would end up finishing top 5 in 6/7 tournaments and would go on to win my first tournament. I also shoot a career-low of a 74, which is huge after shooting a 136 in my first ever tournament (ouch right.)
While in Florida I was informed about the opportunity to make golf a career by becoming a Pro with the PGA of America. Although this was another very tough decision that I was presented with after getting a degree in Media Communications, I felt deep in my heart that there was more to my destiny that involved golf. I wanted To help get new people involved, to help kids learn, and to just help expand the game in every way possible.
The reason I tell this story is because these decisions that I had to make were extremely difficult, they required hours of reflection, trying to understand and focus. However, taking the chance to chase a new dream was the best decision I ever made. No, it was not easy. The story that I tell happened over a three-year span of time so it is a lot more involved than I can share in this article. However, t the biggest plans that are designed for our life will not be or should be easy. They will challenge you to go outside of your comfort zone and maybe even to try something you have never done in your life at a time you least expect it. I encourage each and every one of you to try new things and be willing to explore new opportunities. You might not know what you are designed to do simply because you haven’t taken the opportunity to try new things, and explore your hobbies.
Nobody said it would be easy, but it will be worth it. Stop letting fear or comfort keep you from your destiny. There are new things out there with your name on them, just waiting for you to explore them.
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