(Breather) This breather show is all about examining work ethic and work-play balance through the lens of legendary golfer, Tiger Woods. An athlete since he was a very young child (check out his first TV appearance in 1978!) Tiger loves to train every day for golf, to compete, and is on a constant quest to get better. A far cry from the golfer of the past who played hard, got rich, and got soft. And sure, we see still see him fist pumping and his unmistakable competitive intensity, but behind the wizard’s curtain, Tiger is viewing his competitive endeavors from a more complex perspective. Yes, the object of the game is to win, but the value and the meaning is found in the process, not in the mere holding of the trophy. Thinking about the trophy during the journey is a lethal distraction – as many of Tiger’s less-evolved opponents have discovered painfully. Extending your focus outward – worrying about opponents or what the world thinks of you – is also a distraction. Tiger steps on plenty of throats, but it’s inadvertently while trying to get a good stance to hit his shots. His enlightened competitive fire focuses on the process of peak performance, and it is directed entirely inward. In contrast, the prevailing psycho-emotional disposition of the modern competitor that we have been socialized to adopt in pursuit of success is to obsess on external variables and determine our self-worth according to results. He also showed this by being the tour’s greatest ‘grinder,’ still trying hard even when way back. Furyk said, “Most guys in that position aren’t still trying to win the tournament, but Tiger was still thinking he had a chance. He believes he can win even when he’s 10 down. He never makes a frustrated, hasty play. He always plays the correct shot. He never says, ‘Shit, I’m two back!’ and pulls the driver and hits it anywhere. He plays the course the way it should be played.” When I talk about work-play ethic, what I mean is that this really is a game to him; he’s playing Monopoly in real life with vicious competitive intensity, instead of fear of losing his buildings or being conservating with his 9 shot lead. His father Earl once gave him a very valuable piece of advice: “You know what? Just go to sleep. You know it’s going to be the most important round of your life, but you can handle it. Just go out there and do what you do. Just get in your own little world and go out there and thrash ‘em.” Note the contrast between another popular coping mechanism used by athletes facing pressure, the old, “Just pretend it’s an ordinary competition!” admonition. This probably messes up the subconscious more than anything! But then what does he do after? He retools his swing, and while studying videos, realizes he relied on timing more than optimal swing mechanics. This is a guy who says he’s obsessed with winning, but unlike many of his competitors, he’s answering to a higher calling REPRESENTED by winning - get the difference? At a press conference two days before the 2007 Masters (where he was runner-up to Zach Johnson) Tiger – holding trophies from the previous two major championships (’06 British Open and PGA) - was asked if he was thinking about another Tiger Slam (holding all four major titles at once, but not in the same calendar year ala the so-called Grand Slam). He replied: “No. I’m thinking about trying to place my golf ball around this course, that’s about it. My whole preparation is getting the ball in play and putting the ball on the correct parts of the green and getting the speed of these things…and that’s it.” Tiger gives the gift of this perspective to all of us, over and over, and we, with the help of the superficial media, keep ignoring it in favor of pressing the issue of our results-obsessed mentality. No wonder Tiger has little patience for the media! Here are some tips on how to cultivate a strong work/play ethic:   Make Work Fun: It’s not enough anymore to put your head down, work hard and produce results. Re