Business lessons From Tiger Woods’ triumph at the masters

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Tiger Woods’ victory at the 2019 Masters tournament is being hailed as one of the greatest comeback in sports history. The tournament marks the player’s first win after a gap of over a decade during which Woods underwent significant physical and psychological trauma before finally emerging a winner.

The analogy of this triumph is akin to Steve Jobs’ story at Apple. After founding the company and being compelled to leave it, Jobs not only returned to Apple, he actually took the firm to unprecedented heights. Tiger Woods had been soaring great heights in his golfing career when his fall from grace happened.

The last major championship he had won was way back in 2008. The years that followed were plagued with physical injuries which required multiple surgeries, a very public meltdown of his marriage owing to an infidelity scandal, overuse of prescription drugs and arrest under DUI.

A couple of years back even the most ardent Woods fans were wondering if he would ever win another title. People were actually speculating if he would ever play competitively again, let alone winning a tournament. The prolonged gap between Tiger’s last victory and the recent one is what makes it so much more awe-inspiring.This win isn’t just a personal triumph for Woods. It is a lesson for all of us in patience, perseverance and dedication. Here’s what you can learn from the spectacular comeback.

Perseverance pays in the long run

The journey to success is different for everyone. Whether you plan to build a tech business focused on app development or are planning on a non-tech startup, scaling both businesses requires an amalgamation of dedication and perseverance. The entrepreneurial road is strife with ups and downs.

There would be times when everything is hunky dory and all would seem right with the world. Conversely, there would also be days, months or years when nothing would seem to be going right. The fear of failure is one of the biggest deterrents to becoming an entrepreneur. Perseverance is the key to wading through unknown waters. Tiger Woods had virtually lost it all, publically messed up big time, lost his form and winning streak and yet he persevered and emerged a winner. “You never give up,” he says. “That’s a given. You always fight. Just giving up is never in the equation.”

Believe in yourself and follow the roadmap

This win is probably the biggest example of believing in one’s capabilities and skills. Woods said in an interview with CNN, “I did think this day would come. I knew I had it in me. Did I know it was going to be this week? No. But I had a good feeling that the way I was playing, I was going to be in the mix.”

This unwavering belief in your abilities is what you need to succeed. Having a business idea is just the start of the entrepreneurial path. Strategic roadmapping, which involves testing and validating your business idea needs to be backed by a belief in yourself. The timeline and extent may vary but confidence and dedication are the two key factors that define your success.

Use your strengths to your advantage

Perfection is a myth. The positives are balanced out by the negative but it is the focus on the former that leads you onto the path of success. Tiger Woods started out young and achieved immense success but time did take a toll on his body. After recovering from a series of injuries, having undergone multiple surgeries and battling with the onset of advancing age, he still focused on the positives and used them to his advantage to win the fifth Masters tournament.

 

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