Sometimes you never know what's around the corner..
When you choose to move yourself in a different direction to the majority you never really know what is going to happen, sometimes it will pay off and others it will fail. It’s amazing how resilient we can be and are to failures, in fact it’s hard to even type the word failure as it has such negative connotations. It’s an experience, whether it’s good or bad it could and should be drawn on when needed but not stared at like some life defining moment. In conversation this morning I realised that there have been misplaced steps on my personal journey but I rarely dwell on them, in fact most are a source of amusement now.
As you might have already noticed by looking at the picture above I have been invited to speak at the PGA of America’s Teaching & Coaching Summit this coming January, I’m not sure there is a bigger live stage that I could take a step onto when it comes to sharing my thoughts in this business. With 6 of the 10 Golf Digest Top Teachers also speaking it’s a step into a rarified atmosphere for me, a largely unknown quantity from a small island in Western Europe. I’m sure some eyebrows will be raised and plenty of ‘who?’ comments will pass many sets of lips and that’s ok, to be honest it came as a shock to myself so I understand the potential surprise completely!
So how does this happen? A couple of months ago I returned from a working trip to Denmark where I presented a lot of the information I’ve been piecing together for the last 3 or so years and upon my return I tweeted from the airport shuttle that I felt confident that no one else was teaching the wedge game the way I am. I know this because it’s something of my own creation, I have of course taken some cues and information from other sources but the bulk is borne out of my own research. I knew the trip had gone well, I knew the information had stood up to the test and I was excited by the possibilities of where it could go. A trip to South Korea followed and again it was a resounding success in a completely different environment and culture.
The thing about this business is that you never know who is watching or listening. In this instance it happened that a well known and respected coach followed my trip to Denmark and learned a little about my direction with the wedge game and took this information back to the US. From there it snowballed and the invite dropped into my inbox last night little more than a few days after I’d first heard I was under consideration.
The most exciting thing for me is that the selection I have been fortunate enough to receive is based upon nothing more than the strength of the information, I’m not a household name, not even a pro shop name! Yet I’m now in the process of condensing days worth of information into a one hour program, ready for the scrutiny of over 1000 of my peers including a huge number that I have looked up to since day one.
So sometimes, if you get the direction and application right, good things will come your way.
James
ps - I’m not nervous... yet.