I’m taking golf lessons, which, in my family, is not news.  As mom to two golf-crazed freshman boys who are on their high school golf team, I’m exposed daily to the techniques of the game. I’m told when a pro changes his grip and how that alters his swing. I know the lingo, the warm up exercises, the made-the-clincher-putt fist pumps. I’ve observed the discipline and the mental strength that it takes to be good at this ever-frustrating game. But what I’d never heard from the numerous professionals and wanna-bes surrounding me is to “get your mind out of the way.” What kind of tutelage is that?

Here’s what I learned, and why the same advice applies to business. My golf instructor is brilliant; and actually could be as good a business coach as he is at teaching golf.

He tells me, “work on your set up and your finish, and the laws of physics will take care of everything else.” Um… okay. Non-golfer translation: If I address the ball perfectly – position my body just so, hold the club just right and place the ball closer to the front of my stance than to the back – then I’m off to a good start. If I work on my finish form just as diligently – reduce tension in my shoulders, put weight on forward leg and stand tall, among other things – then the actual striking of the ball will be effortless and accurate. “Stop thinking about the darn ball!” he says.

Well, guess what? It worked. Yesterday I played Talking Rock in Prescott, Ariz., and tried out his “mindless” theory for 18 holes. I had the best game of my life, even making par on a couple holes. The ball consistently was airborne and straight down the fairway. And bonus: I had fun – for the entire afternoon!

But what was most remarkable to me is the correlation that can be drawn to business, just confirmed by another of my esteemed advisors. If we work on creating the perfect set-up and plan well for the finish, then everything in the middle should be relatively painless, accurate and fun, so to speak. The contention is that instinctively you know what to do. Listen to your gut, which represents the values that were ingrained in you early in life. Don’t cross the line you drew in the sand long ago, no matter how much money or prestige is dangled before you. Pay attention to all you’ve learned and observed along the road to today. Don’t think and rethink your business decisions, because you know what to do. If you have set up your business, client contract, or company project just right, and planned for the best outcome, then the road will be paved toward your goals as you’ve identified them. Just get your mind out of the way and let the laws of physics happen. You can’t change them anyway.