Are you a golfer who attempts to improve the golf swing by instructing, "Don't..."

"Don't slice."

"Don't hook."

"Don't hit it into the water."

"Don't hit it into the sand trap."

I think we're all familiar with this approach.

What happens instantaneously? The mind immediately forms an image of the very thing you don't want to take place on the golf course.

It's the old elementary school trick of "Don't think of a pink elephant." The negative becomes an action in the positive. In other words, the negative formulates a sense of being.

I was playing with a friend not long ago, and I noticed he was falling victim to the "Don't" disease. He was focused on his slice. It consumed the early rounds and was a major point of discussion.

He wanted some advice on how to rid himself of it once and for all. We went through the standard instructions but the slice still persisted.

Finally, I told him, "I've an idea. Instead of thinking about your slice the rest of the day, let's think about hitting the golf ball perfectly, even if you do slice the ball. Want to give it a try?"

My friend shrugged, as if to say, "That's the best you can offer me?"

He sliced again. And, he sliced again.

He looked at me and said, "This isn't doing any good."

"Forget about it, Richard," I said. "You don't care about the slice anymore. All you care about is the perfect golf swing. You intellectually know all the mechanics. Picture them being executed perfectly in your mind. When the slice pops into your head, substitute it with the perfect golf swing."

It took awhile, but on the 17th hole he hit the shot he was lusting after. On the 18th, he did it again.

I’m certainly not saying this will solve all the problems on the golf course with your golf swing. But, it’s a good start.