Scratch or Scratched?
I was hitting golf balls on the practice range and my husband pointed out a young woman who plays off scratch (on par or better/no handicap). I watched as every ball she hit was meticulously planned and played. Whilst I whacked each ball with the goal to empty my basket and hers was to land each ball at a designated spot on the range.
At the Melbourne Cup Horse Racing there were two horses scratched from the big race. Their health wasn’t up to standard, and well-being was a concern so the decision was made not to race them. (Sadly two horses died after completing this race).
Optimum health underpins performance – in particular for race horses; expensive horses! For us mere mortals, we can cope with ailments and aches without fearing being scratched.
Borrowing the sporting mindset which works with the equation of ‘scratch’ health & skills = improved performance, and applying to other situations and workplaces we would see a healthier nation.
I’ve commenced working with a Personal Trainer as my 50 year old body is now requiring some assistance to perform better. We’ve set a few goals (weight, core strength etc.) and I’ve given myself until 31/12/14 to achieve the first goal. I realise that I don’t want to be scratched and to survive in the rat race for the next 20+ years, I need to be a scratch player.
Like the young female golfer, who would practise every day, like the horse which is trained every day and my new health & fitness regime which requires daily attention & action YOU need to be active with your performance to be a ‘scratch player’ opposed to being considered a potential scratching!
Every day is an opportunity to get closer to being 'scratch' - in all aspects of your life.