Tiger Woods is a name nearly everyone recognizes; whether you’re a golf fan or not. His incredible success has made him one of the most dominant golfers of all time. After turning pro at the age of 20, Woods has won 15 major tournaments and he isn’t done yet. He has expressed his determination to beat the all-time record of 18 major championships held by Jack Nicklaus.
While Woods has faced a plethora of obstacles, both in his athletic career and personal life, he has displayed a level of mental strength that has allowed him to remain highly competitive throughout the 20+ years of his pro career thus far. In a TIME interview conducted just before Tiger’s 40th birthday, the 15-time champion opens up about the mentality that has allowed him to overcome difficulties and continue on the path towards victory. Let’s delve into the similarities between his mentality and the Pro Mindset® as described by veteran NFL agent Craig Domann.
Purpose
Quote: “I think every great champion who has ever lived would say, yeah, they’re selfish in certain aspects. That’s how you got there. You had to put in extra time in the weight room, extra time running and running, extra time recovering, extra time running their plays or hitting shots or doing the things that other people didn’t do. Why do you do it? Yeah, you wanted to become better.”
Tiger Woods weighs in on what it takes to be a champion. According to him, it takes those extra hours at the course by yourself after everyone else has left. It takes those extra hours patiently waiting to recover no matter how much you may want to return to training. It takes those extra hours running and lifting weights in order to be in the best shape for tournaments.
The reason Woods was able to get himself to make those sacrifices even when it seemed like no one else was is because he had a purpose: he wanted to be a champion. As Craig Domann says, “Purpose is your motivation.” Tiger’s purpose kept him motivated. Even when a tournament didn’t go his way, he would be at the course practicing his shots the very next day because he had a purpose.
Winning Habits
Quote: “Golf is, what, five hours? You’re trying to tell me that I can’t go out there and focus that hard for five hours, when I’ve got 19 other hours to recover? That’s how I look at it. So I’m going to give it absolutely everything I can, everything I have, for this five-hour window. Let’s go. After that, hey, we’re done.”
When asked about whether his first tee shot at a tournament is the same as the last, Woods responded, “I’m grinding just as hard.” While five hours may seem like a long period of time to stay focused, Tiger’s mentality towards the game of golf allows him to maintain the same level of attention from his first shot to his last. These winning habits have undoubtedly played a crucial role in his successful career.
Winning habits are a crucial aspect of the Pro Mindset. While the recovery, training, and sacrifices that happen behind the scenes are indispensable for a golfer’s success, the trophy ultimately goes to the person that is able to perform when it matters the most.
Similar to Woods’ mindset, purpose and winning habits are fundamental facets of the Pro Mindset. To learn more about the Pro Mindset and how you can utilize it to achieve success in your own life, check out the Pro Mindset Podcast here.
Source: https://time.com/tiger/