We all have a general idea of how we want to go through life whether it be personally, emotionally, financially, or in our careers. We create paths for ourselves, small goals along the way to help us get where we want to be. However, life is not so easy. Everyone gets curve balls thrown at them; a little slip and we fall off that path we were so carefully following.
I recently slipped off the path that I had laid out for myself. With less than a year until I became a PGA professional, I let a little thing in my personal life effect my emotions and cause me to not just slip, but tumble off the path I had originally laid out for myself. I ended up at a summer camp in upstate New York as the head of golf activities. Having spent nine weeks here, I can't help but think about how it was a step in the wrong direction. As much as I may have disliked my position, it was eye opening to say the least.
For the past year, I spent to majority of my time thinking about whether I had made the right choice in the path I had planned on; did I really want to spend the rest of my life working in the golf industry. This summer helped me realize that I truly wanted that life. It took a slip off the path for me to realize how much I wanted it. The positive to come out of all this is that it has given me that extra bit of motivation to push myself back on the path. That is the real lesson I took away.
As far as you may veer off your path, get that motivation to push yourself to get back. Having gone through what I've gone through the past six months, I would have never thought I'd be fighting my way back. For me though, that old path just isn't good enough anymore. I want more. I'm paving a new road for myself, one that is reaching for more that I ever thought I would. Having recently celebrated my 22nd birthday, I've really began to realize how short life is and how precious everyday is. There simply isn't time to dwell on the past or regret whatever forced you off your path.
“Your days are numbered. Use them to throw open the windows of your soul to the sun. If you do not, the sun will soon set, and you with it.” - Marcus Aurelius
I will not let my slip drag me down and neither should you. Whether you pull yourself back on path or set a new path ahead of you, use the lessons you take away to keep yourself on the road in the future. Use this opportunity to set new goals and dream of places you never had before. Any dream you have can become reality if you push hard enough, but you have to get back on a path for anything to happen.
