I had several private messages as a result of one of my blog posts. (Thank you so much for reading and then finding a way to contact me!)
It was the one called Hope vs. Faith, and it started out with me talking about Tiger Woods. I talk about this debate among the talking heads of sports about Tiger’s win at The Masters, and whether or not Tiger will win another major tournament this season. I said that the whole debate comes down to this:
Do you want Tiger to win another major, or do you full-on believe he will?
I got a few private messages wondering what I think — which is funny because in the world of golf, I’m the least important person in the mix to share my opinion, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have one! For me, the answer to that question is YES.
YES, I want Tiger to win another major, and YES, I full-on believe he will! I think this says more about what I know about myself, versus what I know about Tiger Woods or his future in golf!
The reality is, it’s often easier for me to hope and believe for others, whereas I struggle a bit more when I try to do both for myself lately. I’ve thought a lot about this fact for the past couple of days — especially because there are a few people in my life who have huge things ahead of them, and I catch myself having complete hope and total certainty of belief for their success.
I’m sure most of that comes down to the fact that I’m standing outside of these people’s lives, and I don’t have to do any of the work or surrender any of the fears, challenges, or desires involved in the big things in they’re facing. But my hopes and beliefs for them are genuinely based on the fact that I love these people, and my conviction on their behalf comes from an authentic source.
That’s because I personally know that when someone outside of yourself is pulling harder for your success than you even know how to, it gives you the edge to keep going.
I have no idea if Tiger Woods feeds off the energy of the massive crowds that gather around to watch him play. Honestly, he seems so laser-focused most of the time that I can’t tell if he even notices or cares all that much. However, a few times I have noticed Tiger getting annoyed. Who could blame him, I guess. People inserting themselves into his game must get old…
But when it comes to my people, I don’t care if I’m being annoying because my hope and faith are unwavering and I know it always matters.
I feel so humbled as I write this post because there are devoted friends and family members in my life who have been following me from hole to hole for so long now. I can feel their genuine disappointment and can almost hear their collective groans when I miss the green; and I can feel and hear hope in their reactions when I finally drop a ball within putting distance to the pin. What an incredible gift to have a gallery of people pulling for me, right?!
But in the end, I think that’s the factor that makes up for any deficit of hope and belief inside of me for myself. And for me, it’s easy for me to want and believe in Tiger Woods. The guy shows up, has an incredible work ethic, and he always keeps his head down and grinds it out. And the people in my life that I’m pulling for the most have that same kind of grit and are absolutely worthy of all my energy and devotion.
One thing that often amuses me when I’m watching golf with Lou is how the crowd will shout things right after the player tees off. Before anyone can even see where the ball is heading, the crowd is optimistic and full of giddy anticipation. Today, that’s how I feel when it comes to the people I’m pulling for. I see them lining up their shot, tightening their grip on their driver, and then angling their bodies perfectly over the ball. As they pull back with every ounce of their own hope…and then make contact with the ball with all of their own belief, I just want to shout…
