So much has been written about Tiger Woods. Even more has
been said about the man who held the number 1 world ranking in golf for over 5
year. Yet this past week during an interview with ESPN’s Tom Rinaldi, Tiger
uttered perhaps his most telling word yet. In response to the question “What
drives you?” Woods responded with his typical focused and composed stare by
using one simple word; “winning”.
You see, Tiger still believes. He believes that he still has
the ability to recapture his old form and make that comeback that the media are
equally as obsessed with as he is. Tiger Woods is a sports blogger’s dream! The
material practically writes itself, yet for me, a blogger who focusses on the
mental aspect of sports, Tiger Woods is still a mystery wrapped in an enigma.
Yet following his latest interview, some pieces of this mystery wrapped enigma
are beginning to become clearer. Specifically what motivates Tiger Woods and
how he is using the concept of the self fulfilling prophecy to drive him forward.
It is no secret that Tiger Woods has an obsession with
catching and over taking Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 golf majors (Woods is
stuck on 14), and this is clearly one of his central motivators, yet winning in
general also clearly motivates Woods. He is closing in on 100 worldwide
victories, and if Woods does reach that number, it will certainly go down as a
historical moment in sport. So Woods it
appears is beginning to take a more systematic approach to his obsession. One
win event at a time.
The self fulfilling prophecy is when the capabilities of an
individual are determined, and then due to these determinations, the capabilities
are matched via performance. With Woods, by his continual referral about his
desire to win, he is willing this event to happen. By continually referring to
winning, perhaps he is trying to psych out his fellow tour members, and put the
thought in their heads that this is the Tiger of old, and that he is still to
be feared as he once was.
I hope that Tiger Woods is able to return to his old golf
self. That Tiger never spoke about winning, he just won. He is now forcing the
term winning to become part of his own everyday lexicon, and in doing so is
willing the self fulfilling prophecy to take over. That sounds a little crazy,
and perhaps it is, but after all, the one thing we do know is that sports are mental!
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