When I was a kid, I went to the local bookstore and purchased an audio cassette tape with money that I earned picking up range balls. Now available as an audio CD on Amazon, the tape was called “The Winner’s Edge” by motivational speaker Denis Waitley.
During the program, Waitley recites the following poem:
If You Think You Can, You Can!
By Denis WaitleyYou can be a total winner, even if you’re a beginner,
If you think you can, you can
If you think you can, you canYou can raise a “B” performance to an “A”
You can get in the school play
If you think you can, you can
If you think you can, you canYou can wear the gold medallion
You can ride your own black stallion
If you think you can, you can
If you think you can, you canIt’s not your talent or the gifted birth,
It’s not your bank book that determines worth
It isn’t your gender or the color of your skin
It’s your attitude that lets you winUpset McEnroe or Austin
Win the marathon in Boston
If you think you can, you can
If you think you can, you canYou can profit through inflation
You can redirect this nation
If you think you can, you can
If you think you can, you canIt doesn’t matter what you’ve done before
It makes no difference what the half-time score
It’s never over ‘til the final gun, if there were one
So keep on trying and you’ll find you’ve wonGrab your dream and then believe it
Go out and work, and you’ll achieve it
If you think you can, you can
if you think you can, you can!
I wrote down and still carry the poem with me, today. As I march on my quest to play on the PGA Tour, I’m sure I’ll repeat the poem to myself often.
This week, Waitley’s words are also meaningful as the United States celebrates the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Presidential Inauguration of Barack Obama.
Do you have an inspirational poem, prayer, song, or phrase that motivates you? When and where did you find it? How has it helped you? Please share your story with me and other visitors by leaving a comment below.
Until next time, enjoy golf, America!
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Your post reminded me of a poem we used playing soccer at Milton High Scholl in Alpharetta, GA: “If you think you can’t, it is almost a cinch you won’t… One day, sooner or later, the man who wins is the man who thinks he can.” I do not remember exactly, but that was the idea. There is no doubt that the mind is crucial. Tiger Woods is an incredible golfer, but the quality that I admire most is his mental strength, which is just amazing. He makes the shot he has to when he has to. He does not miss short putts for victory. He thinks he can, and he does not doubt it.
Unfortunately, not much of a poet, but I can remember goofy phrases and scenes from movies, including this goofy montage from The Waterboy playing on the phrase: “You can do it!”
Ovidio, Thanks for adding your comment. No doubt, Tiger Woods, like Jack Nicklaus before him, has an incredible ability to control himself and make the critical shots. Phil
Walt, Thanks for channeling Rob Schneider and Adam Sandler. I will try to erase the montage from my mind as soon as possible! Phil
Phil, “Shanks” for the comment? Erase the montage… but remember the words: “You can do it!”
Walt, I thought ‘The Waterboy’ montage was hilarious. You’re lucky that Adam Sandler’s ‘Happy Gilmore’ is one of my favorite movies! Phil
Whenever I teach a beginner course in Photoshop, Lightroom or the like, inevitably a student makes a comment, “I’ll never be able to do that!” or “I’m not as good as [insert famous name].”
This is the mantra I wrote years ago, that I still repeat to students today:
There will always be someone smarter, stronger & better than you.
You will always be smarter, stronger & better, than someone else.
Be Ambitious. Be Humble.™
It is my declaration that you don’t have to be good to get started, you just have to get started to be good.
A.J., Thanks for sharing your mantra, which is inspiring for your students and me, too. Years ago prior to the airing of the Nike commercials, I met Ted Turner, who told me, “Just do it!” Thanks again, Phil
Phil,
Thanks for posting information about your pursuit of reaching the PGA Tour. A similar story comes to mind of a golfer named Neale Smith who played on the PGA Tour I believe in 1992 and 1993.
I think the inspirational phrase and concepts that motivate me are the concepts of focusing on the process, not the outcome. Also, day in day out trying to focus on the things that we need to do to be successful and not worrying about the things that we do not have control over. Also, defining success as giving our best effort in order to try to reach our potential, whatever that potential might be. These concepts for me come generally from coaching books written by John Wooden and Steve Jamison. I think I probably began learning these concepts in graduate school, and then, they continued to be reinforced in my mind as a college instructor teaching in a sport science and coaching education program at the university level. A great book written by Coach Wooden is “Wooden on Leadership.” Also, in my opinion, many of these concepts are discussed in the mental game of golf literature, such as in books written by Bob Rotella. His newest book is “Your 15th Club: The Inner Secret to Great Golf.”
Good luck,
Al
Al, Thanks for your encouragement as well as the recommendations for the books by John Wooden and Bob Rotella. Good luck with your teaching and writing. Thanks again, Phil