The Bowling Paradigm: Why You Don't Need Total Control to Succeed

Bowling is more than just a game—it’s a metaphor for life’s pursuit of success and the balance between control and collaboration. As bowlers aim for that perfect strike, they often realize that sheer precision isn’t always the key to consistency. Sometimes, it’s about making subtle adjustments and trusting the forces beyond their direct control. In this article, we’ll delve into how modifying bowling techniques not only leads to better scores but also unveils a profound life
and business lesson: achieving greatness often requires us to let go of total control and embrace the support of others.

I have been part of bowling leagues since I was 12 years old, winning many championships with some outstanding teams and earning individual trophies for
great games and series. I started out using a method that emphasized precise control: lining up at the midpoint between the left and middle marks, holding my wrist slightly to the right (being left-handed), cupping my wrist halfway, taking two and three-quarter running steps, and releasing the ball at exactly the right moment. This technique often resulted in the ball hitting the pocket perfectly between the 1 and 2 pins—the headpin and its adjacent pin—leading to that incredible feeling when all 10 pins fall together in a STRIKE. It was exhilarating and deeply satisfying—a true sense of mastery.

However, it’s very difficult to get strikes consistently using this method because it requires precision. While applying this technique to spares gives you the same feeling of satisfaction and results in good scores, it doesn’t lead to consistently great scores. There are certain types of spares where this method doesn’t work, and you can’t achieve consistent strikes.

If you modify your release, you can gain consistency on both strikes and spares. It’s a simple change: hold your wrist more to the left (for left-handers), pull your arm more to the left, and make a late forward release with a quick turn of your wrist to the right. This results in a slight hook and spin on the ball. As long as you get close to or touch the headpin, the action of the pins causes them to fly around, hitting other pins. The same approach works for all types of spares. You don’t need as much precision because the flying pins are helping you. While you don’t have total control and rely on this action to get the strike or spare, you can consistently achieve great scores.

During my best sanctioned league season as a teenager, I held a bowling average of 195. At 18 years old, over the course of 18 games in a six-week stretch, I achieved an average of 221, with my highest game reaching 265. In 1982–1983, I was a member of the Amateur Bowlers Tour, which required a minimum sanctioned league average of 190. For comparison, to join the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA), you need an average of 200 or higher, while top PBA tournament players typically average between 230 and 240. The best bowlers in the world maintain averages of 250 to 260. At age 19, I decided to leave the Amateur Bowlers Tour to focus on my education and career, though I occasionally joined bowling leagues throughout my life. As a teenager, I was on track to become a professional bowler had I chosen to pursue it.

This experience taught me a valuable life and business lesson: you don’t need to have total control to achieve greatness. Just as the pins’ unpredictable action contributes to a strike in bowling, in life and business, relying on the support and collaboration of others can lead to exceptional success. Embracing the contributions of those around you transforms good results into truly outstanding achievements.