Motivation Is Key

DJ Vitone

Tiger Woods

Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian

“People don’t understand that when I grew up, I was never the most talented, I was never the biggest, I was never the fastest, I certainly was never the strongest. The only thing I had was my work ethic, and that’s been what has gotten me this far” (73).

If you put all your effort and will into something, the goal will be achieved and prosperous. Eldrick Tont Woods, otherwise known as Tiger Woods has been the best golfer for the past decade due to his drive and devotion to the game. When he was just eleven months old, he watched his father Earl hit golf balls. Since he was at a very young age, he wanted to be a professional golfer, and he didn’t give up until his goal was achieved. His father had a very big impact on helping his son turn into a pro. I recommend this book strongly because it encourages one to try their hardest and have the will to sacrifice something to achieve a goal, which will eventually pay off.

"His world was golf, studying, and his close circle of guy friends” (54). 

Whether it’s the desire to get into your dream college, being hired by a fancy well-paying company, or winning a shiny new award, you must make sacrifices. That’s what Tiger did, instead of hanging with his friends on the weekend or just relaxing, he took the initiative to pursue his dream. Another person who spoke to me in this book is Tiger's dad, Earl. He always encouraged his son to never give up and to always keep his head up. This is similar to my parents, always telling me to try hard and never quit. I do believe reading his book will make you more motivated towards your goal and lessons will be learned. Throughout his life, he endured struggles and obstacles. As he reflected, “you have to look at the past in order to learn from it and move on” (109).

His biography really spoke to me because I’ve had many goals, and there are ups and downs. Specifically, I wanted to get into my dream school. Along the way, I’ve had bad grades and scores. I did absolutely terrible on my PSAT, the report said, “Not ready at the college level.” It brought me down and made me almost convinced I wouldn’t get into the school that would make the next four years of my life prosperous. However, “the greatest thing about tomorrow is I will be better than I am today” ( ). Forgetting about my horrid score and doing practice SAT workbooks helped me along the way. Never giving up is what Tiger did: critics said he’d never make it to the PGA. Most importantly, they said an African American like him would never make it to the elite level of play. He put the comments aside like I put my score aside and put the eyes on the prize. Anyone would love this book, especially for people who are shooting for a goal. Mainly for people who are infatuated with sports would really enjoy this text. The main takeaway from this book is to always stay motivated and never give up.