Whether you think you can...

Trivia: “Who was the first player to break 80 at The Old Course at St. Andrews?” Answer below.

I’m taking a different tact today. I was simply too exhausted last night to work very productively, and yet had a few things left in the day that I had hoped to accomplish. Instead of working into the night, I slotted those tasks into an early rise this morning. So far, so good.

Yesterday was full of much work and also some good conversation. As I took my eldest son to his orthodontic appointment, he learned that his braces will likely come off in March. I enjoyed some wonderful conversation over lunch and in the early evening, the latter occurring as I watched Tina Malone-Wright’s son both learn and teach some complex skating moves. I thought it very kind, the way he offered to help his skating lesson classmates.

I also passed along a business idea to my two sons. As the idea is theirs now, not mine, I shall not share it here. This despite my firm belief that ideas are a dime a dozen. Execution is the key! With March break just around the corner, they have ample time to get started, should they choose. We’ll see. You can lead a horse to water...

My eldest son at one point said something to the effect, “Well, I’ll try it. But I don’t think it’s going to work.”

This of course led me to quote Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right.”

Later in the evening I enjoyed a brief workout and then some reading. The reading brought me to the following poem, which seemed more than worthy of sharing.


If you think you are beaten, you are,
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win, but you think you can’t,
It is almost certain you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost
For out of the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will –
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are,
You’ve got to think high to rise,
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But soon or late the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can!

Borrowed from The New Think and Grow Rich, by Ted Ciuba and Napoleon Hill, p. 38.


Tomorrow... we’ll show you all you’ll ever need to know about the traditional golf swing. Thanks to Jay Paterson in advance!

And the answer: “Allan Robertson, who shot 79 in 1858”