I have admired Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods as long as I can remember - not just for their success in athletic endeavors and the image that they project, but more for how they reached the pinnacle of achievement in their respective sports. Both are very gifted athletes with a steely determination not to fail, and both are willing to pay the price of success with tireless practice and preparation.

As I watched Tiger win the British Open last weekend, I noticed several things about him that are a study in winning and success:

• Make a plan- This is the first step to success, and involves goal setting and being realistic. Tiger always seems to go into a tournament with a plan predicated on how the course plays for him. He may alter his swing or switch up what he hits off the tee. This is well-thought-out and is based on past experience as well as what he has learned from others.


• Stick to the plan- It is easy to abort what you are doing at the first sign of adversity or criticism. Small changes may be needed to adapt to an evolving situation, but if the plan is well-thought-out, stick to it. In the tournament, Tiger decided to hit irons off the tees for more control and accuracy. He only hit one driver in four rounds, and was roundly criticized for it, until he was winning the tournament. Even when he was burdened with hitting long irons to the greens, he stayed with his strategy, even holing a 200+ yard shot.


• Overcome adversity- We will all have bumps along our course, but how we respond to them is the crux. Tiger has had a lot to deal with the last few months. His father, who was his mentor and driving force in his life, had recently died. He had also missed the cut in the US Open a month or so ago. Wanting to prove he could still play, and also win for his father, he came up well short of even making the weekend play. He tried to overcome by practicing and preparing for upcoming events, including the British Open.


• Stay in the moment- This is somewhat of a cliché to me, but the look in Tiger’s eyes showed that he was focused with only the task ahead on his mind. It revealed to me how much concentration we must have when performing, particularly in crucial moments. Tiger revealed later that he was thinking about his father towards the end, but kept that in the recesses of his mind. When he sunk the final putt on the 18th hole, he became emotional about his father, actually sobbing in the arms of his caddie Steve, and then his wife, Elin. He stayed focused just long enough to win, staying with the plan, and staying in the moment when he needed to the most.

I realized long ago that I would never be the athlete that Jordan or Woods are, but I can strive to succeed in other areas of my own just as they do. Emulating them can be very instructive to us, as well as motivating. These are real people with real emotions, problems, and obstacles, and they have a work ethic they follow that leads them to winning. Can you follow this work ethic?

Thank you Dr. Ward for your wisdom and insights. As the rest of you ponder his perceptions this week, select the one that made you feel a little uncomforatble.

Notice how it playes out in your world. For example, is it difficult for you to stay with your plan? Are you easily distracted off course? How about being in the moment? Do you allow yourself this luxury? What if you were to do so?

Enjoy your discoveries and have a stimulating week.

Ann

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Permission is granted to either reproduce copy or distribute "Your Success Thought for the Week for August 2, 2006" as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author is Ann Golden Eglé, Golden Visions Success Coaching, LLC, 541.385.8887, 21775 Rickard Rd., Bend, Oregon 97701, www.GoldenVisionsSuccess.com