America Loves a Comeback
I sat and watched in amazement as Tiger Woods won the PGA Tour Championship this past weekend. As the final holes played out, the crowd of people running and rushing behind him to the 18th Green was a sight to behold. Five years and four back surgeries later, Tiger would finally win again. As he fought back tears walking to the green, I found myself feeling really happy for the guy. Despite all his bad behavior, the spectacular fall, wounded loved ones and bad press, a man was reclaiming a part of himself. That’s always a sight to behold.
If we’re fortunate enough to live a while, we find that life is a long time. Long enough for highs and lows, wins and losses, sin and forgiveness. John Mellencamp said that life goes on, long after the thrill of livin’ is gone.
In spite of Mellencamp’s cynical words, America loves a comeback. It’s important to remember that for most of us, it’s never too late. It’s never too late to mount a comeback. In your career path, your current job, your health, your relationships and your life. Remember this: “A year from now, you’ll wish you had started today.” That statement has spurred me to action many times.
- Henry Ford was 50 when he started his first assembly line.
- Ray Kroc was 52 when he started McDonald’s
- Picasso was 55 when he painted Guernica
- Dom Perignon was 60 when he first produced champagne
- Oscar Hammerstein was 64 when he wrote the lyrics to The Sound of Music
- Winston Churchill was 65 when he became Britain’s Prime Minister
- Michelangelo was 72 when he designed the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome
- Nelson Mandela was 75 when he became the President of South Africa
- Frank Lloyd Wright was 91 when he completed his work on the Guggenheim Museum
Start your comeback. Everyone is waiting.
