From Great to Good

On the eve of the US Open golf tournament, I am struck by the consistent questioning of Tiger Woods? performance of late. Tiger is not winning as many major tournaments as he did a few years ago. In fact, he just isn?t winning as much as he used to.
The theories about this decline in golfing success are numerous. Among the most common theories are those that focus on changes in his life. He has gotten engaged. He is more and more active in outside activities such as his charity work. There are too many things that now take away from his golf.
What is most interesting to me is that there is always the implication that it is somehow bad that Tiger?s life has become more than golf tournaments. That he is somehow no longer great.
I remember an interview with his father years ago where he predicted that Tiger would not always be “only” a golfer. In fact, he predicted that Tiger would leave golf at a fairly early age. He saw in his son much more interest, passion and potential than golf alone could fulfill.
It is my hope that maybe Tiger is working on his goodness as a person these days. He is building a relationship with his fianc?that will be the foundation of a good family. He is working to make our communities better places to live in through his involvement in various charities. Tiger Woods may be willing to sacrifice his professional successes, his professional greatness, to strive for goodness as a person.
Imagine that, someone actually working on moving their lives ?from great to good?. If that is what is going on with Tiger, it should be a role model for all of us. I think we sell ourselves short when we only celebrate the great among us. It is much more important for humanity to spend more time celebrating the good.