As man advances in years and career-wise, he or she becomes better in terms of knowledge, experience, and more often than not in wealth. There comes a time in life when the sweet taste and smell of success and achievement has to be celebrated in the best luxury setting, such as in relaxing spa vacation getaways!

In fact, some spa resorts are built or have been developed with that in mind - for a celebration of life and/or enjoyment of life’s finer offerings.  Some of the most luxurious spas in North America include the Cornelia Day Resort in New York, New York; the Bellagio Spa in Las Vegas, Nevada; and the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn in Sonoma, California.

My two young boys recently started having golf lessons, hopefully on track for following the footsteps of Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus! Within this timeframe, thanks to their very knowledgeable instructor, I have come to appreciate the finer points of golf, including:

• Golf is one of the purest forms of sports in that in essence one does not compete with others but rather test one’s skills against the course.
• Honest appreciation of the major role of one’s golf equipment to success; hence their proper handling is most appropriate.
• Mastery of the game of golf requires combining physical and mental skills plus learning and refining other aspects such as patience, etiquette, attitude, and humility.

It is still winter here in the Northeastern United States but golf remains a year-round passion, especially with expansion of the golfing experience via online venues, including the recent World Golf Tour craze and from lots of golf-related websites. Again, no matter where one is or whatever the station in life, golf provides the same fun across national boundaries whenever and wherever it is played and enjoyed!

Contributed by Mr. Lifedefiner on January 23, 2008 

Tiger Woods has just won another golf Tour championship. This of course is on top of his other victories so far.

Aside from the obvious, there are other underpinnings behind/beyond all these, including, but not limited to, the following:

Poster boy for ultra-achiever: Tiger’s success makes him truly a poster boy for uberachievement whose exploits are broadcast wider and magnified more so via the power of the web, with Roger Federer in tennis also in this category.

Breakthrough minority role model into universal icon across all barriers: Although initially, Tiger may have represented a breakthrough US minority role model into the mainstream psyche, his appeal plus enviable record now spans across any barriers related to race, age, gender, or nationality.

Father and son bonding: Just as Michael Jordan’s dad had a critical role in moulding Michael’s career into basketball superstardom, the foresight and training that Tiger’s dad made it all possible.

Practice, practice, practice:  What everybody sees, hears, and reads about are the RESULTS. What everyone should remember is that there is the corresponding amount of PRACTICE and PREPARATION, not just immediately prior to tournaments but OVER TIME.  Anyone who wants to follow his footsteps must remember that Tiger Woods the phenomenon is not the product of an overnight formula.

More practice, flexibility, and making the most of available resources: Tiger grew up in Southern California where the winters are not as harsh as say in the US Northeast. Which means that he may have had more opportunities to sharpen his game. But then, how come, there are others who also live in places with warmer climates but are not as good as Tiger? But of course, there is only one Tiger.  At least, for now…. 

Now that we know better, perhaps we can all take aim in being better golfers and then some….

In the pursuit of excellence in any endeavor, the question of which approach is better remains an area of on-going debate.  Is it better to be a big fish in a small pond or to be a small fish in a big pond?  Of course, each side has its own share of proponents.  Factors such as one’s level of education, degree of enthusiasm, repertoire of skills, among others, have to be considered.

Interestingly, there may be another interesting perspective:  “I don’t care whether the pond is big or small so long as the pond is mine.”  Each of us needs his or her own space in the sun to achieve his dreams.  This approach is good but must be tempered with the reality that no far-reaching success can be achieved without the involvement of a reliable support team.  Again, BALANCE is the word.  As is true, with most other cases. Not easy, but this is what makes life exciting.  Opportunities present to us each day and it is up to us to make the most of them and fit them into our overall strategy.

While growing up and sometimes even in my adult life, I always wondered on how valuations could be made on certain goods and services.  My Dad had an answer for me on this: “Aside from the basic rules of supply and demand, value and pricing depends on intrinsic and extrinsic factors involved in the delivery or manufacture of a particular commodity or service.” Without the benefit of winning the lottery or coming from a wealthy background, most of our financial decisions are generally made on a logical basis. For example, one buys a Honda Civic at college days then shifts to a Mercedes or a Lexus once career advances take place.  Another example is going to hotels and resorts at an earlier phase and then patronizing spas and elite vacation clubs as more success is achieved.

There is also that school of thought that when one gives all his best and succeeds, it may no longer be considered a luxury: when one showers himself or herself the “top of the class” items or products.  Some do it to stand out or as a symbol of opulence but to some it comes with the territory.  Bottom line is make your own mark so that you can dictate what kind of perspective you can have whenever you make a purchase or a rental.  Otherwise, luxury will always be a luxury and mere ostentatious display of wealth and not something more profoundly meaningful.

Contributed by Mr. Lifedefiner on September 8, 2007