Have you ever done something for so long, to the best of your ability, and thought that you are doing it the best way possible?

Do you play golf? Have you taken lessons from a golf pro?

I started playing golf when I was about 14 years old. I felt like I had a decent swing since my ball would sometimes actually get into the air most shots. But its direction was always a crapshoot. From the beginning, I could hit the ball a long way, but my golf ball was very Republican - always went to the right! Through the years, I got used to my ball going to the right, so I would always aim to the left of my target. Over the next 30 years, I played lots of golf, consistently scoring the in 90s. I felt that playing more golf would improve my scores. The problem was that I didn't know that all I was doing was practicing many flaws in my swing and becoming set in my ways. I was comfortable with my game, because I could hit under 100 and on some rare occasions even shoot under 90.

As I grew older with a golf game in cruise control, I began to hear that I should visit a golf pro to improve my swing thus lowering my scores. Well, I always heard that pros were expensive and since I didn't feel that my game was that broken, I resisted going to a pro for lessons. Naturally, I continued to be happy with shooting in the low to mid 90s.

Then, about 7 years ago, my wife took up golf and hoped that we could play together. Since she was just starting out and desperately needing some lessons to keep her interest in the game of golf, I bought her some golf lessons for her brithday. She asked me to join her, so I let my male pride down and took some lessons. Remember what I said earlier?

Have you ever done something for so long, to the best of your ability, and thought that you are doing it the best way possible?

Well, if you have ever taken golf lessons, it is most always successful in completely screwing up your swing. I felt so uncomfortable! In order for the pro to make my swing more successful, he had to undo 30 years of habit and natural tendencies. He started out by changing my grip. Then he corrected my alignment and the address position. He changed my back posture and knee bend as well as my head position. Next came my actual swing. I had a huge tendency to create two swing arcs - one going up and one coming back down. Now that is not bad except the second arc must be inside of the first one or else I will slice my golf ball, which I did a lot. I had a lot of things to remember, and my head couldn't handle it all at once.

Fast forward to present day. Through consistent coaching and practice, my swing is much better and efficient. I am now shooting in the lower 80s and even had some scores in the 70s over the past couple of years. All because I trusted someone to change my ineffective habits and allow me to see that there is a better way.

Have you ever done something for so long, to the best of your ability, and thought that you are doing it the best way possible?

That is what Tero's IMPACT: How To Speak Your Way To Success presentation skills workshop is going to do for you. You will be hit with a lot of information and coaching. Your brain will go into overload mode, but hopefully, in the end, you will trust us to change your current presentation habits to make you more successful and actually look forward to those speaking opportunities.

John Amato is a Training Consultant for Tero International, Inc.