John Rahm yesterday was the first ever Spanish winner of the US Open, victorious by one shot, finishing birdie, birdie, a feat not seen since Watson in ’82, Nicklaus ’80 and Ben Hogan back in 1953 at Oakmont, and yesterday when the entire field seemed to self impload.
Yesterday, John Rahm was the only man between the ropes who simply remained present, who did not faulter and who’s self belief remained stoic and steadfast. Upon reflection standing on the 18thgreen during the trophy ceremony explaining his win being one of absolute “Power of Positive Thinking”. A lesson for us all!
I feel building and opening a new business during the once in our lifetime global pandemic in NYC has a parallel of self belief to the closing performance of Rahm capturing his maiden major victory, all be it, in slightly different in tone. Whilst Rahm gained inspiration and strength from a variety of channels, including his powerful three generations of family in toe. I sort strength from here and abroad, but also remember too a personal note given to me by my then Headmaster of my preparatory school, Mr. Michael Jenkinson, including a copy of the literary prose, when a year of crutches, wheelchairs and hurdles seemed to put an endless bump in my road. Like Rahm yesterday, the British poet, aurthor and literary genius Rudyard Kipling coined it best with his 1895 literary piece, bathed in Victorian-era Stoicism; and a prose I suggest is kept in everyones daily visual eye, “IF”….but in case you have not read the poigniant words of Mr. Kipling, please find below, a clear parallel to John’s victory in the 121st US Open yesterday and opening SSWING too date, when most small business were folding around.
Rudyard Kipling 1856 – 1936
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise;If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build ’em up with wornout tools;If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on”;If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings—nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run—
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!
And so, in the coming rounds, or rough seas ahead, gain strength in the words above and strive to rise above the rest.Golf is a pure illustration of who we are and how we handle pressure, when all around appear to be losing their way.As the world we know returns to our new normal, and different challenges toss and turn, just remember like Rahm on the 17thand 18thgreen, Watson, Nicklaus and Hogan before and indeed Mr Kipling all those years ago, “…If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs….” then in the battle, or hurdle high, you will triumph and raise your own gold medal or vision splendor like SSWING.Let’s keep pushing to perfection and improve what needs to improve. I will be at SSWING every day. Hope to see you there!
Most sincerely,
Scotty
