The One Rule That Saved This Week’s Newsletter
And Could Save Your Next Round in Golf.
I missed my post this week.
Every Wednesday, I write this newsletter. I show up, I share something real, and I try to offer one mindset tool to help you play better golf and live better.
But this week, I just forgot. No good excuse—just life. One moment I was buried in work, the next it was Friday.
I sat with the guilt for a bit.
Should I just skip it? Wait until next week and get “back on track”?
But then a line from Atomic Habits by James Clear hit me:
“Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.”
Clear calls this idea: “Never Miss Twice” Rule.
It’s not just a catchy phrase. It’s grounded in behavioral psychology—specifically, the concept of habit momentum.
BJ Fogg at Stanford has written about this too. Tiny habits work because they’re designed to survive imperfection. You don’t have to be perfect—you just have to get back on track quickly. That bounce-back is what reinforces identity and keeps the momentum alive.
So instead of disappearing this week, I decided to post late. Why?
Because showing up late is still showing up.
And that mindset applies to golf in a big way.
In golf, most players obsess over consistency.
But elite players are different.
They don’t hit perfect shots. They make mistakes like everyone else.
The difference? They recover fast.
They don’t carry a missed putt into the next hole.
They don’t let one bad swing define their round.
They don’t overanalyze or spiral.
They bounce back.
This is what performance psychologist Dr. Michael Gervais calls “psychological flexibility.”
It’s the ability to stay committed to your values and your process, even when things don’t go your way. If you want to practice playing elite golf, a foundational principal you MUST learn is how to return to your focus, your rhythm, your plan—no matter what just happened.
One practical mindset shift you can use today:
After a bad shot or hole, say out loud to yourself:
“I’m allowed to make a mistake—but I don’t miss twice.”
Then, step into your next shot with intention:
Reset your grip pressure.
Lock into your routine.
Visualize what you want, not what you fear.
You don’t need perfection.
You need recovery.
Fast, focused, and fearless.
And just like this newsletter, it’s better to show up late than not at all.
Your Mental Coach,
—Dr. Mat