I’m captivated by the differences in people’s mental game when it comes to crunch time - whether that be in sports, business, or any other high-stress situation.  As an entrepreneur, I always try to stay alert to my mental game because I know it has a huge impact on how I see opportunities and how I come across to my team.  I think most people take this for granted and let their minds run without any “supervision” - big mistake.

David Brooks recently wrote an article in the New York Times about Tiger Woods’ “Frozen Gaze”; his levels of concentration and mental toughness are legendary and have become the model that many athletes and business people aspire to reach themselves.  It’s an interesting read and an interesting glimpse into what makes him the top performer of top performers.

My favorite quotes are from his mother and father.  It should be noted that his mother is considered the tough one in the family.  Her words:

“Old man is soft,” Kultida Woods once said of her husband. “He cry. He forgive people. Not me. I don’t forgive anybody.”

And from Earl Woods:

“I’d say, ‘Tiger, I promise you that you’ll never meet another person as mentally tough as you in your entire life.’ And he hasn’t. And he never will.”

He’s probably right!

MRC