The Pain of the Problem

At St Andrew's, Scotland, the birthplace of golf, Cameron Smith captured "The Open" on Sunday — chiseling his name into the Claret Jug and golf immortality.

The victory earned the Australian a spot in an exclusive group of professional golfers who have braved the elements and overcome countless course challenges en route to reaching the pinnacle of the sport.

Professional golf at the highest level has long required a total commitment to self-growth. Everything is measured, everything is earned, and unless a golfer makes a total commitment to improve each day, they will never reap the rewards.

But recently, because of the emergence of the LIV golf tour, which now guarantees huge sums of money just for joining the league, self-growth does not need to occur to the same extent. Guaranteed money essentially eliminates the need to further hone skills and removes any competitive fiber that once inspired self-improvement.

"What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt?" Tiger Woods recently said when asked about LIV.

"You're just getting paid a lot of money upfront, playing a few events, and playing 54 holes. I just don't see how that move is positive in the long term for a lot of these players, especially if the LIV organization doesn't get world ranking points and the major championships change their criteria for entering the events."

For growth to occur in any facet of our lives, we need to experience the pain of the problem in order to enjoy the ecstasy of the solution. 

Nothing truly worthwhile comes easily. If there is no pain in finding the answers, then how can we ever enjoy the solution? If we don’t struggle with the problem and put our heart and soul into overcoming it, then how can we really enjoy success?

When Smith celebrated Sunday night, he likely reflected back on 2014, playing on the Asian tour. He finished in the top-10 seven times but never earned a win. He was hardly an overnight sensation.

Chances are in the hours after his Open victory, he recalled those long days and nights in Brisbane, constantly practicing with the dream of one day becoming a Major champion.

Smith has faced many challenges over the years but never lost sight of his ultimate goal. With hard work, dedication, and his own self-growth, he was able to sip his favorite beverage from the Jug.

Let's all take a page from the book of Smith and embrace the pain of problem.

It's the only way we can really enjoy the ecstasy of the solution.