Take the Damn Pressure Off

Why Do I Put So Much Pressure on Myself?

Pressure to perform. Pressure to be perfect. Pressure to “get it right.”

It’s shown up in every area of my life—from business, to relationships, to how I show up in the world. And that pressure—most of it self-imposed—has sucked the joy right out of my life.

The Joy-Sucking Grip of Perfection

Nowhere has this been more evident than in my golf game. I’ve put so much pressure on myself to prove something—to be someone—that I forgot the simple joy of playing. I was playing not from love, but from lack. From fear. From ego. And through the frustration and pain of trying to be perfect, I’ve made a conscious choice: I’m playing a different game now—on the course and in life.

Non-Attachment: The Sacred Key

That’s why I wrote Presence Golf: A Sacred Path to Self-Mastery.Because golf is more than a game—it’s a mirror. One of the teachings I explore in the book is non-attachment, known in Raja Yoga as Aparigraha.

When we’re attached to outcomes—when our self-worth hinges on a number, a result, or someone else’s opinion—we become prisoners of our own pressure. We stop living. We start performing. And I’ve been stuck in that cycle far too long.

Playing Free: A Shift in Intention

In a recent round, I decided to play for the experience, not the score. I still kept score—but I didn’t check it during the round. I had no clue what I shot until the round was over. And you know what? It was liberating. I played freely. I was fully alive. I was present with my playing partners. I noticed the wind, the trees, the rhythm of my breath.

I learned more about my swing, my tendencies, and my mindset than in any other round this season—because I wasn’t obsessing over “getting it right.”

The Yips: Born from Pressure

Here’s the kicker: No yips. Not one. And if you know my story, you know that’s huge. The yips have haunted me for years. But in this round, they were gone. Why? Because the yips aren’t a swing flaw. They’re a soul signal. A symptom of perfectionism. A trauma response to internalized pressure. And when I took the damn pressure off… I was free.

My Soul Evolved That Day

I didn’t shoot even par. But I didn’t care. Because something deeper happened: My soul evolved.

I walked off that course with a deeper knowing of my Self. And that, to me, is more meaningful than any birdie streak or personal best.

What Pressure Are You Carrying?

What about you, brother? Pressure to make more money? Pressure to prove you’re strong enough, successful enough, “man” enough? Pressure to meet everyone’s expectations—including your own? That pressure isn’t making you better. It’s making you smaller. It’s keeping you from showing up as the man you truly are.

Your Authentic Self Is More Than Enough

So what if you took the pressure off? What if you let go of the outcomes and showed up as your most authentic, unfiltered Self—on the course and in life? That would be enough.More than enough. Because when you live from the truth of who you are, pressure dissolves.And in its place… joy. Peace. Presence. That’s how we’re meant to play golf.That’s how we’re meant to live.

Take the damn pressure off. You will be okay.