THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 1

THE PATHWAY TO PEAK PERFORMANCE 1

(Winning the Tiger woods way)

“I am not just out to be the best black player. I want to be the best golfer ever”

-Tiger woods

I have always been fascinated and animated reading the biographies of great men .Often times , these individuals succeed against all odds and rise to pursue their passion .Their passion in turn make them emerge as epitomes of peak performance .In America where golf is as the restricted sports played mainly by the rich white folks,- a coloured youngster has risen to the game’s pinnacle through hard work, a sense of focus, and sheer determination. May be his name has something to do with it because it takes the fierce and the formidable energy of no less than a tiger to cruise his way to that spot.



LESSON 1

PARENTAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Tiger Woods was born Eldrick Woods on Dec 30 1975,in cypress California. He is the only child of Earl and Kultida Woods. His parents identified their son’s talent at an usually early age. They said that he was playing with a putter before he could walk. Tiger’s father has never denied that he devoted his energies to developing his son’s talent and to further his career as a golfer. It is important for parents to acknowledge and pay attention to their child’s God given talent. As a parent, you need to be observant by focusing on what your child plays with, the activities he/she engages in. Aside from acknowledging your child’s area of strength, it is also imperative to help groom and grow that talent. Never ever discourage them from pursuing their innate abilities.



LESSON 2

PLAY SMALL AND GROW BIG

Woods first gained national attention on a talkshow when he beat the famed comedian Bob hope (1903-)in a putting contest. The young boy was only 3 at the time, he was quickly hailed as a prodigy or a child with remarkable talent. Not long after that, Woods was featured on the popular TV show called :That’s incredible. Turning pro at just 20.It took Tiger woods just eight months to register his impact winning within such a short period a masters and a PGA(Professional golfers association)events. Whatever is your area of calling in life, its important to start on a small scale. Starting small enables you to hone your talent till it becomes an unconscious competence. The only thing you start from the top is the grave.



LESSON 3

PRACTISE

There are no victories at bargain prices. Woods his known for spending many hours practicing his swing and playing in youth tournaments. During practice sessions, Tiger learned to maintain his composure and focus , while his father persistently mad e extreme loud noise in order to make him lose focus. Talent is never enough. It takes practice to transform your talent into a skill. Getting to be the best in your field won’t be easy because of the necessity of commitment. It takes commitment to play that guitar, write that book, or even sing that song when no one is paying attention to your talent. It is important to hold yourself responsible for a high standard than anybody else expects of you.



LESSON 4

PASSION

Whatever quality marks out Tiger woods as the greatest golfer on earth, I think the starting point is passion. A passion for the game and a passion to win. Little wonder, he is labeled:” A freak of dedication”…. To golf of course. Unlike the other men who play for pay , Tiger remains motivated by a different factor , the love of the game. His father Earl woods once said: “Tiger doesn’t love the game, he’s in full -stage addiction.He’s always been addicted to golf”. In the school of success, it is a love affair with your chosen craft that guarantees your ascendancy to life’s hall of fame.



LESSON 5

PECULIAR NAME

When Woods celebrated his 25th birthday, he marked the occasion with a legal name change, from Eldrick to Tiger. Wood had been called Tiger by his father even as a youngster. The nickname stuck as Woods had always been called Tiger by his friends and men of the press. The nugget here is that it is pertinent to differentiate yourself from the maddening crowd. You are what you call yourself. The same Mohammed Ali prophesied:” I am the greatest” years before he first won the world boxing title. If you are not known for something you cannot amount to anything. See yourself in the light of what you want to be called when living your dreams.



LESSON 6

PRESIDENTIAL RECOGNITION

If you are the best at what you do , you will dine with kings and not mere men. When Clinton was the president of U.S.A, he arranged to meet Tiger though it suffered restrictions albeit temporarily, owing to his impending exam then in the university. A BBC source was reported as saying the white house had to reschedule the appointment in favour of the youthful Woods. Now that’s my kind of guy. It shows that with impact on your side too, you too can get the rare chance to call the shots even when the presidency is involved.



LESSON 7

PAVE THE WAY

Wood is credited with popularizing the sport of golf not only among African Americans , but among children of all backgrounds. His personal sponsorships of programmes for children

Has been reported for years , and at least one corporate sponsor found that in order to secure an endorsement (an official document of agreement)from Tiger Woods must include the added cost of a general donation to the Tiger Woods Foundation for inner city children. Success is about making a living , while significance is about making a life. Be the shoulder someone can lean on.

You might not be a golfer, but you can end up as the Tiger Woods in your own field. If a youngster can gain international prominence just by playing golf, then you can do it too. I look forward to reading your own success story .Go and rule your world!



Kehinde Ajose is Nigeria youngest career coach ,Motivational speaker and syndicated columnist. He is reachable @ 08024212530/Motivationswithkehindeajose.blogspot.com