May 28, 2021 – A remarkable feat occurred May 23 at the PGA Championship on Kiawah Island in South Carolina. Phil Mickelson did what no golfer had ever done in 161 years – win a major golf tournament at age 50.
Kiawah Island is an extremely difficult golf course, and May 23 was a blustery day in which to play the final round. But Mickelson defied the odds. He hadn’t won in over two years. His ranking had dropped to over 100. It looked like he would never win another golf tournament, much less a major. The sports bookies had him at 200 to 1 to win. No one even had Phil making the cut.
The talent pool of those on the tour is getting younger, tougher and more aggressive. But Phil was convinced he could win. “Why not me?” he seemed to say to himself. He worked on his mental attitude; he started doing yoga and meditating, working on toughening his mental attitude. Good thing, because when you play in a major tournament on the PGA Tour, you must play four straight days — Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. You must shoot low scores on Thursday and Friday to get to play on Saturday and Sunday. Phil did that and then made the most of his opportunity. He believed it was possible because his goal was to outwork everyone else.
I tell this story because it relates so much to being in sales and never giving up, no matter what. Phil found a way to win against all odds. Have you ever felt that way when dealing with customers? Are you reaching down deep, are you working not only hard but smart? You can accomplish amazing things if you believe in yourself and go beyond what is normal and give the best effort you can.
You may need to solicit help from your manager or other colleagues. Heck, Phil Mickelson is 50 years old and he still has a golf coach helping him with his swing and mental toughness. Few people achieve greatness without some type of help.
No matter your age, the drive to be the best, to go beyond what is normal and strive to stand out from the pack is essential. Heck, if you’re a rookie or a veteran salesperson, it’s always possible to achieve greatness if you have that drive.
Lesson learned: Keep believing in yourself and make it happen.
Contributing Writer:
Bob Miller
Executive Vice President Sales/ Vendor Relations
Gericare Medical Supply
Chairman Post Acute Council, HIDA