The E Word

Summary

Tiger Woods' extraordinary golfing achievements and his status as one of the greatest athletes of all time are juxtaposed with his personal struggles and the philosophical question of whether one's accomplishments can ever truly be enough.

Abstract

Born with a natural talent for golf, Tiger Woods was groomed for success by his father, Earl Woods, who employed a rigorous and sometimes harsh training regimen. Woods' exceptional career, marked by numerous victories and record-breaking feats, solidified his position as the greatest golfer of all time. Despite his professional triumphs, Woods faced personal turmoil, including infidelity and substance abuse issues, suggesting that success does not guarantee happiness or fulfillment. The narrative reflects on the idea that achieving one's goals may not bring the expected satisfaction, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the value of the present and what one already possesses.

Opinions

Earl Woods' strict and unconventional training methods, including psychological manipulation, were believed to be necessary for Tiger's success but may have contributed to his personal challenges.
Tiger Woods' dominance in golf for over a decade is considered a feat that may never be repeated, highlighting his exceptional athletic ability.
The article suggests that reaching the pinnacle of success can be a lonely and unfulfilling experience, contrary to societal expectations.
The concept that achieving more does not necessarily lead to greater happiness is underscored, with the idea that contentment should not be solely dependent on future accomplishments.
The author implies that constant striving for more can lead to a neglect of current well-being and relationships, advocating for a balance between ambition and appreciation for what one currently has.
The mention of Tiger Woods' personal issues, such as his affairs and substance abuse, serves to illustrate the potential emptiness of external success without personal fulfillment and integrity.
The article encourages readers to reflect on their own lives, suggesting that they may already have 'enough' if they take the time to assess their current situation and find contentment in it.

Enough

Image from Jordan Steranka — Unsplash

Eldrick ‘Tiger’ Woods was born December 30, 1975 in Cypress, California. Tiger always seemed destined for greatness. From shooting 48 through 9 holes at 3 years old, to featuring in the popular Golf Digest magazine at age 5, his talents were mind blowing, talents which the world had never seen. His father Earl said “Tiger will do more than any other man in history to change the course of humanity … I don’t know exactly what form this will take, but he is the Chosen One.” He was right, he transformed the game of golf.

Fast forward to today, he’s won everything, breaking every record possible. Not only is he the greatest golfer of all time, there’s also a very strong argument for him to be the greatest sports athlete of all time. The way in which he totally dominated and obliterated his competition for over a decade is something which will probably never be repeated again. However, despite cementing himself as the greatest of all time, there was something missing, a kind of empty void which Tiger could never fill, a feeling that no matter what he did, it’ll never be enough.

Never Enough

Earl Woods (Tiger’s Father) was a Vietnam War veteran and the main figure in his life. He was the one who introduced Tiger to golf as an infant. Earl was a fantastic athlete himself, he was the first Black baseball player to play for Kansas State University and was desperate for Tiger to follow in his footsteps and become a success.

Being an army veteran, Earl had a very strict, military style way of teaching his son. Hours upon hours, days after days, Earl had Tiger practicing from the moment he could walk, it was relentless. Earl used to constantly hurl insults at Tiger whilst he was playing. “F**k off Tiger,” he would say during his backswing, “motherf****r” he’d utter, “you little piece of s**t” or, “how do you feel being a little ni***r?”. He told him he’d never be accepted as a golfer because of the colour of his skin.

The ‘psychological training’, as Tiger describes it, pushed him to his absolute max. They even had a safe word if it ever got too much for Tiger. That word was enough. Tiger never said it.

Enough

A lot of people never learn that their accomplishments will ultimately fail to provide the relief and happiness they think they will. Or they eventually come to understand this after sacrificing so much time, money and relationships in order to reach their goal. We achieve our goals of becoming a millionaire. We buy our ‘perfect home’. We reach the pinnacle and then ask: This is it? What now?

Epicurus said “Nothing is enough for the man to whom enough is too little.” Who’s to say that you’ll feel any better, happier and fulfilled when you reach your goals? If you don’t have enough right now, when will you have enough?

It’s not to say you shouldn’t have any ambitions because we all need something to strive for. Ambitions and goals are incredibly powerful driving forces to make us better people, without them we wouldn’t get very far. But understand: when you reach the top of the mountain, it might not be as rosy as you think it is. As Tiger Woods and many others have found out, it can be a lonely place.

Despite all the glitz and glamour of being the greatest golfer/sportsman of all time, Tiger Woods suffered his fair share of personal problems. He was caught cheating on his wife in 2009 after numerous affairs. He later admitted he had addictions to sex and alcohol and admitted himself into a rehabilitation clinic to overcome his problems. In May 2017, he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of sleep and pain medications after he crashed his car. He then revealed he was receiving professional help to manage his medication intake. Tiger Woods had everything he could possibly ever want, yet he still never had enough.

You might not be a millionaire, you might not have the perfect home, but stop and take a minute and think about what you have right now at this very moment. You never know, you might be surprised, you might just have enough.

See you next time,

Yours sincerely,

Tom