SURVIVING AND THRIVING

This is story about survival.  Steering through adversity is something that has no user’s manual.  It is often a make-it-up as you go kind of thing.  I was struck this weekend by two events that I watched on TV.

The first item that struck a chord in me was Tiger Woods and his remarkable finish of this year’s Masters Tournament.  Tiger, as he walked off the final hole of play after completing ninety holes over a four-day period, was limping and clearly in a lot of pain as he climbed the last hill all the while maintaining a smile on his face.  I took away something from that image on the screen.  It was the aura of tenacity.  Even though Tiger’s final score for the tournament did not place him on the leaderboard, his sense of accomplishment for finishing the grueling rounds of play along with all the respect he was afforded by his peers and fans alike were the reasons that he bore that grateful smile on his face.  Steering through adversity is something I think Tiger knows a lot about.  Throughout his career, Tiger flew high and was labeled as the Greatest of All Time; Tiger also had a fall from grace, and two very depilating health challenges to conquer.  It was good for his fans to see him rise this weekend and make the effort to return to the game he clearly loves to play.  It was inspiring.

The second item that gave me pause was the interview with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine which aired on 60 Minutes.  We all have watched in horror at the tragedy unfolding as the war continues to rage in Ukraine.  Our humanity is being called on to take action by whatever means we can as individuals.  I hope that many of you were able to watch this interview and hear, firsthand, his grateful praise to his allies for their help, and his pleas for more aid as he faces the fight for the survival of not only his country but the stability of Western Europe.  It was humbling.

I think we all can relate in some way to both of these great men and their tenacity.  In life, whenever you are faced with difficulty, always try to demonstrate what both of these men have – remain optimistic; keep a monitor on your inner dialogue; and take something positive away from every lesson you’ve learned.  Possessing this type of mentality will lead you to self-empowerment and grant you the ability to overcome adversity.

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“Obstacles don’t have to stop you.  If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up.  Figure out how to Climb it, Go through it, or Work around it.”

• Michael Jordan, NBA G.O.A.T; Olympic Gold Medalist; Presidential Medal of Freedom Honoree; Philanthropist.