I grew up in a home that was in a golf course community. Hole #2 was my backyard. It was a fun hole to grow up on. Long. Narrow. Water on the left. Out of bounds on the right. It was the hardest hole on the entire course. It was where handicaps went to die.
I learned a lot of neat things living on that hole watching the golfers play:
- Words – I was not allowed to use.
- That a putter could fly 100 feet if thrown after missing an 18-inch par putt.
- That you could wrap a driver around a pine tree.
Funny how we tend to take out our frustrations on other things when we are really disappointed in ourselves.
Do you really think it was the putter’s fault when the putt was missed?
Was it the driver’s fault the ball went into the water?
I wish we only did this to things. You see things don’t have feelings. But sometimes though, I find myself taking out my frustrations on other people when I am really disappointed with myself.
How about you? Ever come home from a tough day at work and spend the evening yelling at your kids or arguing with your spouse? I have.
It’s almost like my emotions have hijacked my rationale and my behavior.
Don’t let this happen to you. When you find yourself in the “lash out mode”, stop, take a deep breath, and think, “Wait a minute…where is this coming from?”
For me it is rarely an appropriate response to lash out at another. I usually need to take responsibility for whatever has transpired and stop taking out my frustrations on others.