A common question that the overwhelming majority of golfers have as it relates to mental training is how do I measure success and know I am making improvements? Regardless of what you set out to learn in life, there are four levels of learning that everyone must progress through in order to establish new positive habits and completely integrate the new understandings.
Let's go over these levels of learning now so that you can know what to expect as you begin developing the mental side of your golf game.
Here is an overview of the Levels of Learning: Level 1: Unconscious Incompetence Level 2: Conscious Incompetence Level 3: Conscious Competence Level 4: Unconscious Competence Level 1: When beginning the journey towards mental development, everyone starts at the first level of learning or what's called unconscious incompetence.
What this means is "You don't know what you don't know.
" The vast majority of golfers do know that once you have learned proper swing mechanics that the game is golf is primarily a mental game.
However, that is typically the extent of their understanding of this part of golf.
Most have no idea at this level of learning how the mind functions, it's influence on performance, the various roles the two parts of the mind play on the course, how to train their mind effectively, what they really need to know, where to start to develop the mind, and so much more.
In order to advance to the next level of learning you need to get informed in this area of golf.
As you discover more information, you are no longer unaware or unconscious incompetent because now you know there is lots to learn about the mental game that you didn't know before.
Goals at this Level Learning:
In this level of learning, you start to notice the game differently.
You might become more aware of stressors or negative thoughts that are affecting you on the course.
Perhaps more aware of the power of visualization, the importance of performance routines, and other positive aspects.
However, you are still at a learning level of incompetence and haven't gained proficiency in applying new strategies.
To progress out of this level of learning two key things are needed; awareness and recognition.
During this level of learning, it is important to become aware of old patterns of behavior that are inhibiting success and begin to recognize how these patterns are influencing performance negatively.
While working through this level, it may first appear like an internal battle has begun and as if you are fighting yourself on the course.
Say for example, you started to become aware of negative self-talk and thoughts of doubt while performing.
But now, because you know more about the benefits of positive thinking from your learning in level 1 you start to fight these old thoughts by using self-talk that conveys confidence.
Then the old programming kicks back in and once again you have to fight it by forcing yourself to think positive.
Believe it or not, this is an excellent sign of progress and advancement in learning.
Recognizing the negative thoughts in this example is a success in and of itself because it means you are getting off of mental auto-pilot and recognizing conditioned patterns of thought and behavior that were getting in your way.
Even though you might struggle overcoming the old programming at first, the very fact that you are battling means that your thoughts are changing and you are learning a new way of doing things.
Every golfer must go through this stage of learning whether its related to the mental game, a new move in their swing, or any other aspect of the game in order to advance their skills.
So avoid resisting this stage because you need to become aware and recognize things that aren't working in order to make improvements.
Take everything in stride in level 2 and trust that you are succeeding even though it may not look like that at first.
Goals at this Level of Learning:
Now you have progressed to the level of conscious competence.
At this level of learning, you know what to do, how to do, and are successfully producing results, but it still requires conscious effort and thought to implement your new mental strategies for success.
Signs of success at this level are still not score related.
Success in the mental game at this level of learning is measured by things such as the way you feel over the ball, new positive behaviors like a consistent pre-shot routine, the way you are thinking on the course, the way you rebound and handle adversity, and so on.
This all indicates success because, just like your golf swing, when you do the right things mentally and behaviorally on the course the score will eventually come.
To progress through this level of learning, you need consistent reinforcement and conditioning of the new patterns of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions so that they become a natural part of your game.
This level of learning is when you are forming the foundation for the establishment of new positive habits on the golf course.
Goals at this Level of Learning:
You have now successfully established new habits on the golf course and are performing in a state of unconscious competence.
At this level, all the new thoughts, behaviors, and strategies, have now become second nature and very little thought is required to implement these keys to success effectively and consistently.
The old ways of being on the course now seem foreign or totally forgotten all together.
At this level, real results are showing on the scorecard and lower scores on the golf course begin to happen on a regular basis.
Even though scores are significantly improving now, the score is no longer the dominate thought on the course when this level has been reached.
The main focus is now on executing the specific keys to success on each shot and throughout the round that naturally lead to great swings and low scores.
Bottom line when you reach this level of learning, habit integration has occurred and your subconscious mind has been conditioned with new patterns that naturally occur on the course each time out.
Goals at this level: Have fun enjoying the fruits of your labor with low rounds of golf and pushing yourself to higher levels of performance with your new positive habits and mental strategies of success.
Quick Review: Level 1: Unconscious Incompetence: Progress by discovering right information.
Level 2: Conscious Incompetence: Progress by increasing awareness and recognition.
Level 3: Conscious Competence: Progress by conditioning and reinforcing the new strategies.
Level 4: Unconscious Competence: Habit integration has been achieved and a new state of mastery is being demonstrated on the golf course.
Let's go over these levels of learning now so that you can know what to expect as you begin developing the mental side of your golf game.
Here is an overview of the Levels of Learning: Level 1: Unconscious Incompetence Level 2: Conscious Incompetence Level 3: Conscious Competence Level 4: Unconscious Competence Level 1: When beginning the journey towards mental development, everyone starts at the first level of learning or what's called unconscious incompetence.
What this means is "You don't know what you don't know.
" The vast majority of golfers do know that once you have learned proper swing mechanics that the game is golf is primarily a mental game.
However, that is typically the extent of their understanding of this part of golf.
Most have no idea at this level of learning how the mind functions, it's influence on performance, the various roles the two parts of the mind play on the course, how to train their mind effectively, what they really need to know, where to start to develop the mind, and so much more.
In order to advance to the next level of learning you need to get informed in this area of golf.
As you discover more information, you are no longer unaware or unconscious incompetent because now you know there is lots to learn about the mental game that you didn't know before.
Goals at this Level Learning:
- Get informed about the mental game of golf.
- Learn how your mind functions, the various roles of the mind on the course, and how it is influencing performance.
- Discover the information to help you develop this side of your golf game.
In this level of learning, you start to notice the game differently.
You might become more aware of stressors or negative thoughts that are affecting you on the course.
Perhaps more aware of the power of visualization, the importance of performance routines, and other positive aspects.
However, you are still at a learning level of incompetence and haven't gained proficiency in applying new strategies.
To progress out of this level of learning two key things are needed; awareness and recognition.
During this level of learning, it is important to become aware of old patterns of behavior that are inhibiting success and begin to recognize how these patterns are influencing performance negatively.
While working through this level, it may first appear like an internal battle has begun and as if you are fighting yourself on the course.
Say for example, you started to become aware of negative self-talk and thoughts of doubt while performing.
But now, because you know more about the benefits of positive thinking from your learning in level 1 you start to fight these old thoughts by using self-talk that conveys confidence.
Then the old programming kicks back in and once again you have to fight it by forcing yourself to think positive.
Believe it or not, this is an excellent sign of progress and advancement in learning.
Recognizing the negative thoughts in this example is a success in and of itself because it means you are getting off of mental auto-pilot and recognizing conditioned patterns of thought and behavior that were getting in your way.
Even though you might struggle overcoming the old programming at first, the very fact that you are battling means that your thoughts are changing and you are learning a new way of doing things.
Every golfer must go through this stage of learning whether its related to the mental game, a new move in their swing, or any other aspect of the game in order to advance their skills.
So avoid resisting this stage because you need to become aware and recognize things that aren't working in order to make improvements.
Take everything in stride in level 2 and trust that you are succeeding even though it may not look like that at first.
Goals at this Level of Learning:
- Gaining awareness and recognition of old negative patterns of behavior, thought, and emotion.
Get off mental auto-pilot. - Start to work on changing the old patterns and fighting back the negative thoughts and ways.
- Not accepting the old ways any longer.
This also indicates a positive boost of self-esteem.
Now you have progressed to the level of conscious competence.
At this level of learning, you know what to do, how to do, and are successfully producing results, but it still requires conscious effort and thought to implement your new mental strategies for success.
Signs of success at this level are still not score related.
Success in the mental game at this level of learning is measured by things such as the way you feel over the ball, new positive behaviors like a consistent pre-shot routine, the way you are thinking on the course, the way you rebound and handle adversity, and so on.
This all indicates success because, just like your golf swing, when you do the right things mentally and behaviorally on the course the score will eventually come.
To progress through this level of learning, you need consistent reinforcement and conditioning of the new patterns of behaviors, thoughts, and emotions so that they become a natural part of your game.
This level of learning is when you are forming the foundation for the establishment of new positive habits on the golf course.
Goals at this Level of Learning:
- Put conscious effort into implementing your new mental strategies
- Reinforce and condition the new behaviors, thoughts, and emotions.
- Do it consistently enough to form a habit.
You have now successfully established new habits on the golf course and are performing in a state of unconscious competence.
At this level, all the new thoughts, behaviors, and strategies, have now become second nature and very little thought is required to implement these keys to success effectively and consistently.
The old ways of being on the course now seem foreign or totally forgotten all together.
At this level, real results are showing on the scorecard and lower scores on the golf course begin to happen on a regular basis.
Even though scores are significantly improving now, the score is no longer the dominate thought on the course when this level has been reached.
The main focus is now on executing the specific keys to success on each shot and throughout the round that naturally lead to great swings and low scores.
Bottom line when you reach this level of learning, habit integration has occurred and your subconscious mind has been conditioned with new patterns that naturally occur on the course each time out.
Goals at this level: Have fun enjoying the fruits of your labor with low rounds of golf and pushing yourself to higher levels of performance with your new positive habits and mental strategies of success.
Quick Review: Level 1: Unconscious Incompetence: Progress by discovering right information.
Level 2: Conscious Incompetence: Progress by increasing awareness and recognition.
Level 3: Conscious Competence: Progress by conditioning and reinforcing the new strategies.
Level 4: Unconscious Competence: Habit integration has been achieved and a new state of mastery is being demonstrated on the golf course.
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