Principle # 13

The ladder of

success works like

any other ladder.

Very few have climbed

it with their hands

in their pockets.

The finals of the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship of 1997 was one of the most exciting and dramatic golf events of the year. Playing in the finals were Steve Scott and Tiger Woods. On the eighteenth green, the final hole, Steve was one up, putting first. Tiger's ball was in Steve's putting line, so Tiger spotted his ball a club-head length away and marked it. Steve Scott putted and missed.

Tiger carefully circled the green, viewed every possible angle and was lined up to putt when Steve reminded him that he had not spotted his ball back in the original spot. Making the correction, Tiger sank the putt, and the match was thrown into "sudden death," which was won by Tiger Wodds.

Here's the reason Steve Scott is such a marvelous role model. Had he not reminded Tiger that he had not respotted his ball correctly, and Tiger had stroked the putt, he would have been penalized two stroked the putt, he would have been penalized two strokes and lost the championship.

That's what makes long-term winners. That was sportsmanship and integrity personified. Even though Steve lost the championship, he won something infinitely more important--self-respect and the admiration of literally millions of golfers all over the world. That's a role model in action.

Hard work means

prosperity; only a fool

idles away his time.

proverbs 12:11 TLB