As we bring centered practice to the sports we choose to play, the ultimate goal isn't actually improvement. Improvement is just a side effect. What we're really seeking are the deeper things that emerge as we make this consistent effort to begin to meet our true potential. For those of us old or wise enough to have released whatever dreams we might ever have indulged of going pro, putting our utmost into being a really good golfer or tennis player has little value for its own sake. Winning an amateur tennis or golf tournament might be nice, but if the value of the effort comes only in meeting the goal, what happens should you not succeed? What happens when your skills decline? Can the point truly be only winning?
We say no, and our answer to that question is at the heart of why we're doing this. We're not interested in seeing our golf games improve only because we want to play better golf. Competition and play are wonderful, but only part of the point. What we're really talking about is striving to use the practice to become better people. That's why so much of our focus is on energy and feeling rather than technique. Being able to hit a 220-yard drive straight down the center of the fairway has utility in exactly one place. A feeling awareness of the body, concentration, centering--these are things you can use everywhere. These things make your life better.