and inner metamorphosis. He looked years younger, was full of strength and felt more positive about his future than he had in many years. He actually began to believe he could do anything, be anything and make a real difference in the world by spreading the priceless wisdom he had discovered. The ancient lessons of the Great Sages of Sivana had started to work their miracles.
With his student returned to a splendid state of physical and psychological health, Yogi Raman began to share the leadership system Julian had promised would revolutionize GlobalView and allow it to reach a world-class level of achievement and effectiveness.
“This wise leader of the Great Sages of Sivana believed that all failure, whether in the business world or in one’s personal life, could ultimately be traced back to a failure in leadership. Companies don’t perform at their peak when their leaders are unskilled and unwise. People don’t perform at their best when they have no leadership over their lives. He told me that though he lived in an isolated part of the world, he knew there was what he called ‘a leadership crisis’ in our part of the world. Yogi Raman said he held the solution.”
“I’ve spent a lifetime reflecting on the elements of enlightened leadership,” Julian remembered the sage telling him one afternoon as they relaxed in a mountain meadow after exploring and hiking in that surreal place. “I’ve devoted many years to silently contemplating what made the greatest leaders so great. As a monk, I have pledged allegiance to the truth. So my life has been dedicated to searching for truths of leadership. Over time, I have come to understand that the most influential and respected leaders aligned their leadership with certain ancient laws. I’ve structured these laws into an extremely effective system for dynamic leadership, a blueprint of sorts that will help any leader realize his or her professional and personal potential. Now I shall share what I have learned with you.”
“And what did Yogi Raman tell you?” I asked intently, as we finally reached the barren golf course.
“He told me that the most enlightened, dynamic and effective leaders all possessed one quality that the lesser ones lacked.”
“And that quality is?”
“I think it would be better if I demonstrated it.” Julian then reached into the leather golf bag I was carrying and pulled out a club.
“You’re not going to tell me you also worked on your golf game while you studied under the sages!”
“Actually I did. I played golf every single day. It was very therapeutic and greatly contributed to my recovery.”
“Really,” I said in disbelief. “And I suppose these magical monks had also developed a world-class golf resort in the middle of their mountain hideaway so they could play a few rounds to break up the monotony of their days? Probably had little bamboo golf carts to whiz them from hole to hole, did they?”
“Very funny,” Julian replied, taking my sarcasm in stride. What else could he expect? His story was moving from the bizarre to the incredible. “No, I actually played golf in my mind, Peter.”
“I’ve never heard that one before.”
“A few years ago, I remember reading a magazine article about a Vietnam vet who managed to survive his days in solitary confinement by playing imaginary games of chess. Not only did this help him pass the time, it also dramatically improved his playing ability. By the time he got out and had the opportunity to play with a real opponent on a real board, his chess skills had become nothing short of brilliant.”
“Amazing.”
“I felt exactly the same way when I heard about that story, Peter. So when, in some of my quieter moments among the sages, I began to reflect on how much I had loved playing golf in my younger years, I decided I would model the war veteran’s strategy and practice playing golf in my mind. I had enjoyed the game so much as a kid, I thought it would greatly assist my recovery.”
“Did it make a difference in your golf game?”
“I don’t know. This is the first time I’ve been on a golf course in years. Actually, I think the last time I played was with you. But I’ve probably played over a thousand rounds in my mind, so I don’t really feel like I’ve been away from the game at all. Okay, watch closely now. I think what you’re about to see might surprise you.”
Julian then reached into his robe and pulled out the gold-plated golf ball that I’d returned to him.
“You’re not going to use that one are you? Do you have any idea how much that cost me Julian?” I asked, mildly irritated that my friend would use my special birthday present to him in his demonstration.
“Watch closely,” was the only reply I received as he focused intently on the hole at the other end of the fairway, his ultimate destination. Then with the ease and grace of a seasoned professional, he swung the club, striking the ball perfectly and sending it soaring high into the air. I’d never seen Julian hit the ball like that. However, in spite of his shot, it appeared as if the ball would fall short of its target. I looked at him and gave him my best “nice-try” expression.
Then something unbelievable happened. The ball seemed to speed up in the air, as if it had been blessed with the support of a convenient gust of wind. It now sped precisely toward its intended destination. A couple of groundskeepers, who had witnessed this display, had quickly taken off their hats so as not to miss seeing where the ball would land. Even a few of the golfers relaxing on the clubhouse verandah were leaning over the railing to see what would happen.
The ball then dropped down from the sky onto the green next to the first hole and began to roll slowly but directly toward it. No golfer had shot a hole in one on this course for quite some time, but perhaps my friend, adorned in the robe of a traditional monk and wearing nothing on his feet but his faithful sandals, would be the first to end this drought. The ball kept on inching toward the hole. Then it seemed to stop.
“Oh Julian,” I said, in sincere disappointment. “So close and yet so far.”
“Just wait, Peter. One of the leadership lessons I’ve learned is that immediately before a great victory, one will often experience some form of difficulty. The key is to maintain your focus and keep on believing.”
Then, just when it appeared to all that the ball had come to rest, it rolled the remaining two inches and dropped into the hole.
“Hurrah!” one of the groundskeepers shouted at the top of his lungs after witnessing this extraordinary event. Julian threw his fists into the air and began to do a little dance, obviously delighted by his achievement.
I simply laughed and shook my head. “Wow, Julian. You never cease to amaze me! Congratulations!”
After regaining my composure, I asked Julian how he did it. “Did you actually intend to shoot a hole in one?”
“I did. But to be honest, I wasn’t certain it would happen. I’d rehearsed that very shot on this very course hundreds of times in my mind when I was up in the Himalayas. It began to be a game I would play, just to keep my imagination sharp. I had great fun doing it. I must admit that even I’m a little surprised that my mental training produced such a fabulous result. But the fact it worked proves the important point I brought you down here to make,” offered Julian with a hint of mystery.
“Does it have something to do with the piece of the puzzle you gave me yesterday?”
“Yes, it does. Let me ask you this question, Peter.
