“Todd, I need 155 by Thursday – you’re at a plateau – your gonna call me next week and say you’re stuck – I’m gonna say – tough shit I’ve been fighting this game for 40 years. You’ve done 40 years of damage to your body, and you want me to correct it in 3 months – shut up, and fucking get to work.”

 – A message from my good friend and Coach (Jeff Cervero) before a workout

There is a group of guys that I see daily in the gym. For the last five years, they ritualistically exercise every day. Most spend an hour lifting weights and running on the treadmill. They are still overweight and out of shape. I am sure I will see them again tomorrow.

Jeff works out three times each week for 45 minutes. He never gets on the treadmill and is incredibly fit. I never hear of him getting sick or feeling unwell.

What is the difference between Jeff and the other group?

It’s the same phenomenon I see on the driving range – a group of guys and gals hitting balls, but they don’t get better. A then, on the other side of the scale, some students improve rapidly and successfully.

How can this be?

The answer is straightforward, and I can put it into one word – accountability.

I enjoy working out. I spent many years in the first group, ritualistically working out but not experiencing any results. I did this for many years. Then I started blaming it on aging and genetics. These were easy excuses that made me feel better but deep down I knew better.  One day I woke up and a little voice in my head said “I’m tired of not seeing results, and I’m tired of wasting my time” – I wonder if there is a better way.?” So I hired Jeff.

Jeff changed me forever. I remember the first day we were together. Here is what he said.

“Todd, stop making excuses. Get off your butt and get to work. Do the work Todd, do the work? Your problem is that you do the wrong things when you work out, you don’t do the work necessary outside of the gym, and you aren’t consistent. You waste your time and energy.”

I thought, “Holy hell, my life is a wreck!”

But Jeff was right. I didn’t know how to work out, I didn’t eat right, and I sure wasn’t consistent in my approach. Then I thought about my golf game, and I realized that when I built my golf swing, I had done the right things.

1. I practiced correctly at the range / in the studio.
2. I did the proper preparation away from the course.
3. I was incredibly consistent in my practice and approach.

I held myself accountable for my progress and resulted in golf whereas I made excuses for my health in the gym.

How could I be so efficient with my golf game and so ineffective with my fitness? The answer was pretty simple – when it came to golf, I hired coaches, built plans and set goals for my golf game. I strategized, studied and efficiently practiced.

I didn’t do any of these things my fitness until I met Jeff. I made excuses. Considered it too confusing.  The first thing Jeff and I did was measure my current fitness and set goals. Jeff was my most significant health investment I have ever made.

So here is my question.

What are your excuses?

I hear them all of the time. See if you listen to yourself say any of these:

1. I don’t have time.
2. I’m getting old.
3. You can’t teach old dogs new tricks; I have twenty years of bad habits.
4. I don’t know what to do when I practice.
5. I don’t like to exercise.

It makes me wonder if you want to be a better golfer. Seriously. Hey, you might not care, and it might not be significant. That’s fine. I was pretty comfortable when I was overweight too, but I got tired of it. I got tired of wishing that things were different, that I was different. So I decided to transform myself. That is the first step.

Here are the basics for rapid improvement and accountability.

Step 1) Make the decision and commitment

Step 2) Learn How to Practice

Step 3) Set Specific and Measurable Goals

Step 4) Put your Practice on a Schedule

Step 5) Hire a Coach for Help and Support

As a member of this blog site, I am interested in helping you become a better golfer so you can have more fun. Nothing is more fun than improving. Experiencing improvement and self-growth is rewarding. I am here to motivate you and do all that I can to help you throw away those excuses and start seeing some real and lasting improvement.

In this Blog Series, I’m here to help. I am going to do my best to motivate your spirit. If you’re ready, let’s go!

BTW: You can always email me at toddg@moenormangolf.com. I would love to hear your stories.