I am not a good golfer. But I like to play. So when I stepped on the course with my buddy – who happens to be the club champion – I was looking to improve my game. My friend went first and hit the ball what seemed a mile. My turn: I set my sights on the goal to hit the ball as far as my friend’s. I summoned up all my belief that I could hit it that far. I actively visualized hitting the ball that far. I swung.

I topped the ball and it rolled 100 feet.

Again and again this scenario played out one hole after another. Finally, my friend said to me, “Mike, there is a concept in golf that the best way to hit the ball really far is not to try to hit the ball really far. You work to execute the perfect golf swing and the ball just happens to be in the way.”

Success and achievement are exactly like that; they are a serendipity of putting excellence out into the world.