This week's Pep Talk: "Spare the Heartache"

One of the more popular questions these days is, “Can Tiger do it?” Can the once honored, now humiliated, golfing megastar truly - his words - “begin to live a life of integrity.” Of course he can.

It’s easy for me to say that, but it’s going to be far more difficult for Woods’ to execute. His amazing ability to recover from deep fairway rough or cavernous greenside bunkers pales in comparison to the fortitude, moral strength and discipline one of the world’s most recognized, and tempted, human beings must muster to succeed.

How do you think he’s going to react on the course when a smart-aleck fan, instead of “Go Tiger”, bellows “Go Cheetah?” Also, the temptations are not going to disappear. The beautiful women who seek his affection will still be present. That’s life as a superstar. Those realities come with the territory.

When I have the great pleasure of standing before a group a leading a Pep Talk discussion, the fourth of what I call the “five fabulous philosophies” centers on, in our thoughts, words and actions, only things that honor, nurture and add value to the communities we serve - those communities being our families, work and civic commitments.

Tiger’s transgressions have not met that test, have caused great family pain, embarrassed employees at his foundation and created disdain from former fans, including his legion of million-dollar sponsors.

But can Tiger turn this around? Absolutely. In my years as a television sportscaster, I covered the now defunct International Golf Tournament in Castle Rock, Colorado, just south of Denver. Tiger played twice. What I recall vividly was the respect the billion-dollar athlete garnered from his peers for mental toughness. Few talked about Woods’ abundant physical talents, they marveled at his ability to block everything out and focus entirely on the task at hand. Remember, he won the U.S. Open a few years ago on a broken leg and shredded knee!

Tiger can pretty much accomplish, including destroying his reputation, whatever he sets his mind too. But guess what, we’re the same. We can do that. Heck, I can remember entering graduate school at the age of 26. I had decent grades as an undergrad but when I returned for a master’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri, I was focused and determined, and earned straight A’s.

We all have within us a tremendous amount of potential to achieve whatever – good or bad – we set our mind to accomplish. Be careful therefore, what you choose to emphasize because if you want it bad enough, you’ll get it.

That’s the truth for Tiger, for you and me. That is why it is so critical to remember the “honor, nurture and add value” test – it will spare each of us a lot of heartache.