Stop Fixing, Start Competing

One of the most common traps I see competitors fall into is trying to fix things while they’re competing. If you’re a golfer who hits a cut, hit the cut. You don’t need to rebuild your swing in the middle of the round. The goal of competition is to get the job done with what you’ve got, not to eliminate every weakness.

A lot of competitors don’t even realize they’re doing it. They think they’re being proactive. They think they’re adjusting. What they’re really doing is trying to validate their work by proving they can change under pressure. That urge usually isn’t about improvement. It’s about discomfort.

The Difference Between Training and Competing

If something needs fixing, that’s what training is for. That’s where you slow things down. That’s where you put in the reps, experiment, and work through the parts of your game that need attention. Eventually, those changes have to be tested. But until they’ve been built, trusted, and reinforced away from competition, they don’t belong in the biggest moments.

Competition asks for something simpler. It asks for what you already have.

The scoreboard doesn’t care how you get there. It doesn’t care whether you hit a cut or a draw. It doesn’t care how clean it looks. The only thing that matters is whether you can execute and stay engaged in the moment.

Why the Urge to Fix Shows Up

Pressure makes weaknesses feel louder than they actually are. You miss your mark, and pressure starts talking. It points out what you already know. It creates urgency. It tries to convince you that now is the time to change something.

That urgency isn’t necessarily telling you to adjust. It’s usually just evidence that the moment matters.

When that shows up, the answer isn’t panic or overhaul. It’s a return to fundamentals. It’s leaning on strengths. If you prepared properly, built a sound strategy, and trusted your tools going in, don’t let the noise of the moment tear that down. Recenter. Refocus. Recommit to what you do well.

Getting It Done

On the golf course, the objective is straightforward. Get the ball in the hole with what you have that day.

There are times when taking a risk makes sense. There are also times when it doesn’t. When pressure is high and margins are thin, the best decision is often the one that keeps you competing. Playing to strengths doesn’t mean playing scared. It means playing honest.

The best competitors understand that distinction. They don’t confuse aggression with effectiveness. They choose the option that keeps them engaged and moving forward.

Later Still Matters

Fixing things later doesn’t mean ignoring weaknesses. It means respecting timing.

After competition, reflection matters. Evaluation matters. Training should adjust based on what showed up under pressure. That work can be uncomfortable, especially when the training environment doesn’t match the competitive one. But that’s where growth actually happens.

In competition, your job isn’t to fix everything. It’s to compete. If something goes wrong, keep competing. If technique feels off, keep competing. If obstacles show up, keep competing. There’s time to fix things later.