How to Make a Hole-In-One

Dr. Rob Bell


How to Make A Hole-in-One, Run a Marathon, and Write a Book


I often say โ€œsimple, but not easy.โ€

The steps are simple, but it does take hard work, a few mental skills, and some luck.ย 

It takes mental toughness skills and a focus that I feel everyone can achieve. But, it ultimately depends upon how bad do you want “IT.”ย 

I am fortunate enough to have achieved these milestones and simply want to share the simple, but not easy strategiesย on how to make a hole-in-one, run a marathon, and write a book.ย 

  • Write out your bucket list for mental toughness.ย 

In college, I heard aboutย Ted Leonsis writing down 100 things he wanted to do before he died,ย and I simply did the same thing.ย 

When I was teaching Sportย Psychology at the university, I had my students write out their own bucket list, except they had to frame the list so they would see it every day.

  • You have to get luckyโ€ฆ

That’s how to make a hole-in-one.ย 

Sorry…

If I hit it close, it was a good shot, but it went in, so I was lucky (irony). My first hole-in-one came with a 9-iron in my hand. Hey, it counted.

I am happy that I actually achieved one of the goals that Ted Leonsis hasnโ€™t had yet, a hole-in-one.ย 

What is it that you want to achieve, experience, visit, or accomplish? Itโ€™s easy and fun to start, but can get tough later on: because do you really want to party with Jay-Z, or ride across the United State on a Harley?

Think big when writing out your list, but only write down what you really want to do.

  • Use a mentor or guide for mental toughness.

One of my athletes stated the โ€œheโ€ got better because he saw what the great players did and would simply repeat their behaviors, practice habits, etc.

When writing my very first book, I used two mentors,ย Malcolm Gladwell, andย John Grisham.

First, I followed Malcolm Gladwellโ€™s books and his writing style. He starts off every chapter with a story and infused research thereafter to back-up the claims.

Perfect! I can do that!ย 

I used John Grisham as a guide because he would write every day before going to the courtroom. When my daughter was born, I would take the early morning feedings, and she and I would then open up the coffee shop for an hour and half of writing, while she slept.

It works, I’ve written seven books on mental toughness so far…

  • Make mental toughness a habit

โ€œWe are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but aย habit.โ€-Aristotle

Starting graduate school, I needed discipline in my life, so I began running.

It actually helped calm me down and it’s part of my own how to make a hole-in-one.ย 

Slow and short at first, and not many miles per week, or at much of a pace, but I was consistent. I then witnessed the finish of a Philly Marathon, followed point #1, and I made it a goal.

I already had a small base of running underneath me, so I just upped the mileage, talked with experts, read a book, and ranโ€ฆ. I ran 6 days a week for four months of training and ran a respectable 3:32 marathon.

The best part was when my second marathon came around, I knew how to train, what worked, what didnโ€™t, repeated the behaviors, and ran faster, a 3:22 marathon…The racing continued and it progressed to Ironmans, ultra-marathons, and 100-milers.ย  And oh so close to another how to make a hole-in-one.ย 

It’s also a big reason why I merely signed-up and competed.ย 

Whatever it is that we want to do, we must make it a habit, and simply do it every day, period.ย โ€œSimple, not easy.โ€


 


dr rob bell speakerDr. Rob Bell is a Sport Psychology Coach. DRB & associates coach executives and professional athletes. Some clients have included three different winners on the PGA Tour, Indy Eleven, University of Notre Dame, Marriott, and Walgreens.ย