“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.” – Henry Ford
I doubt there is any one above the age of 13 who has not heard of Tiger Wood’s comeback victory! This is a classic case study for anyone involved in personal development. There are so many lessons to learn and apply in your situation.
Interestingly, the week before he played the final game, in which he won, I had been thinking of a business project that I have been working on for several years. I was beginning to ask myself, “Will I really get a breakthrough in this business project and achieve the goals I had set for myself?” “Should I cancel this project, and move on, accepting that I may not win in this area?” Then I read in the news, a few days later, that Tiger Woods had against all odds won the Masters after 12 years of winning a major game!!! You can imagine how elated I felt; it was like God saying to me…. Learn from Tiger Woods – he did not give up!
During the past 12 years, Tiger Woods suffered on all fronts – marital breakdown, health issues, drug and alcohol misuse, humiliation through a public arrest. I am also certain there was a significant decline in his income. Pause for a moment and put yourself in his position – Most observers wrote him off, that his career had come to an end. No one believed he could ever get back to his game. I believe it was at his lowest moment that he had to make a critical choice, about how he progresses with his career – Can he or Can’t he? Only him had to make this choice.
The impact of the choices made strikes a chord with me, of the story that was dramatized at the brilliant Easter Cantata held yesterday at my church, to commemorate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The musical drew a parallel between the choices made by two of Jesus’ disciples – Judas Iscariot and Peter. Judas was the disciple who betrayed Jesus by selling him out, while Peter – publicly denied him three times. Both had initially made poor choices. Judas likely believed he couldn’t move forward, and all was lost. He eventually committed suicide. Peter believed he could move forward. He had a change of heart, and he eventually became a leading proponent of early Christianity. His impact is still felt around the world.
Everything really starts and ends with the choice you make – Can you or Can’t you? Once you make this quality decision, somehow forces around you back you up to help implement your decision.
Question – What’s the one thing or project you think you can’t be successful in, and what one step can you do to turn the situation around?