Monday Motivation: The Beauty of Michael Block and Five Lessons From His Run at the PGA Championship

I am mostly inspired by women and therefore write about them 99% of the time, but 1% of the time if a man inspires me in sports or business, I can’t help but share my thoughts on them too.

Lucky to be one of thousands of people at the gorgeous grounds of Oak Hill Country Club for the PGA Championship for two days, I witnessed the pure joy of a person playing the sport they love while strangers joyfully cheered him on. He wasn’t one of the leading men projected to claim the 2023 PGA Championship, but as a golf professional, he competed against other golf teachers and won his way into the annual tournament.

Michael Block, a hardworking everyday golf pro from California, had a chance to live his dream of playing alongside the greats of today’s game by giving himself a chance to enter and win and then performing spectacularly to make the cut on Friday and land a final twosome spot with global golfing icon Rory McIlroy. Even in his wildest dreams, Michael couldn’t imagine the four-day high of playing top golf in the limelight and hearts of millions.

So, what can any of us, average human beings, perhaps slightly above average in our professions do to be like Michael Block? Here are my insights:

* You must dream to get started! You can’t begin without a dream or goal.

* You must dream larger than you believe and then take the steps necessary to approach that dream every day. In Michael’s case, playing golf with joy and practice.

* You have to take risks or you’ll get nowhere. If Michael didn’t put himself into contention to win a spot to get into the PGA Championship as a golf professional, he wouldn’t have been there. Risk is always, always the biggest part of the reward.

* Be humble, yet confident in your abilities. Michael told numerous commentators he was winning because he was playing his game, not trying to be one of the golf stars on the field. He accepted who he was, and where he was, and played the way he believed he should play for himself.

* Be grateful to people – especially strangers – who cheer for you. People aren’t as bad as the media paints them out to be. Most people cheer for other people. There is so much less contention in average day America so thank anyone who opens a door for you, gives you a compliment, or cheers for you to win in life.

So, the next time you want to achieve something big, take these lessons from Michael Block’s PGA Championship experience and apply them, and watch yourself love your life while soaring higher than imagined as well.