Gary Player, winner of nine majors (including the 1961, 74 and 78 Masters Tournaments), and one of only five golfers to ever win the Career Grand Slam, has collected his own “Ten Commandments” about work, life and relationships.*

As we celebrate Masters Weekend, revisit these time-tested insights about work and life from one of golf’s living legends.

Change is the price of survival

Consider the two types of change in life—the expected and the unexpected.

Decisions of our own choosing can be filled with excitement and possibility. However, they can also come with their fair share of apprehension.

Even when we’re eager to carve a new path in life, fear of the unknown creeps in. It’s an intoxicating mixture of high hopes coupled with the low-grade uneasiness of the unknown.

We wonder: Will the decision be successful? A tremendous belly flop? Or, maybe it’ll just make a heck of a story one day?

Regardless, if the change is expected, we feel more in control of the situation.

Harder, however, are the unexpected changes in life.

A layoff. A divorce. The too-soon illness or death of a young loved one.

These are huge body blows that shake us to our core. Why us? Why now?

These types of unexpected changes take significant mental, psychological and even physical adjustment.

As difficult as these moments may be, change—even brutal, life-altering change—is the price of survival. It’s not just part of life. It’s what makes up life. Part of the experience of our short time on earth.

As Player says, “a gift can be taken away just as quickly as it was given to you.”

Adapting to change–coping with it, seeing the way out, and rising above the challenge—is what separates surviving from thriving.

Persistence and common sense are more important than intelligence.

So many supposedly intelligent people fail at life. It happens again and again.

How many times have we seen an “intelligent” young athlete fizzle out because he didn’t want to put in the effort to grow and improve? (Paging Johnny Manziel)

How many times has the “intelligent” business executive ended up bankrupt and behind bars because he thought cleverness would save him from poor judgement? (See Jeffrey Skilling.)

Certainly, one needs enough intelligence to know not to feed the bears or fly kites in thunderstorms.

Some might argue that’s just common sense, not intelligence.

However you define it, you have to know that bears are carnivores and 30 million volts of electricity can kill.

After that, it’s up to the individual to apply themselves and do something worthwhile. (Manziel supposedly had an impressive Wonderlic score and Skilling was considered highly intelligent by his peers.)

As a young man, Player’s common sense and gritty persistence were present from early on, as are most natural talents. At 17, he told his father, “I’m going to be a world champion because I’m going to out practice them all.”

As he has shown throughout his career, grit and common sense prove to be far more valuable to one’s success than raw intelligence. Compare Player’s tenacity and discernment with Manziel, Skilling or anyone who “had it all”, and it throws the point into even sharper relief.

There is no substitute for personal contact.

Lastly, the amount of money wasted in lost time and energy due to poor communication–much less email alone–is mind-blowing.

Colleagues in the same corporation, in the same office, on the same floor are too “busy” to walk from one desk to another for a face-to-face conversation.

(Ok. I was curious. Here’s the hidden cost of email…Wow.)

If people hide behind email, texts and instant messages everything suffers. Relationships, productivity and trust just don’t form roots as deeply without personal contact.

Of course, there are many benefits to modern technology. It helps us connect, explore and achieve in countless ways.

However, reading body language and processing tone of voice have been crucial to human relationships since the dawn of time.

Body language can turn a matter-of-fact statement into a stomach-splitting fit of laughter. Tone of voice can turn a blunt command into a cordial request.

As we can see from Gary Player’s interview with Charlie Rose here, there’s really no substitute for face-to-face human contact. The conversation is so much livelier and engaging in person. Both Player and Rose feed off each other which elevates the conversation to a level that’s simply impossible using IM or email.

So, put down the phone and step away from the keyboard. Grab coffee or lunch with a colleague today. Remember, there is no substitute for personal contact.

---

Watching Player’s infectious attitude makes you wish he was teeing off in Augusta, doesn’t it? I’d put money on him.

Regardless of who wins the green jacket Sunday, here’s to champions who do it the right way on the course and off the course.

Here’s to The Black Knight.

Cheers,

Doug Wilks

*******

If you enjoyed this post, please sign up for future tips on discovering, growing and focusing your natural talent at StrengthsLauncher. Or, drop us a line between tee shots at hello@strengthslauncher.com. We’d love to hear from you.

*Read all of Gary Player’s Ten Business Commandments here.

**By the way, this happened: 80-year-old Gary Player makes 31st ace at Masters Par 3 Contest.