Life Happens, Often With A Lot Of Help From Us

​I watched Rory McIlroy win the Masters golf tournament yesterday.

McIlroy had won just about every golf tournament imaginable—except for the Masters, the one he had dreamed of winning since he was a kid.

For 16 years, he showed up to Augusta believing this would be the year, only to leave with the familiar ache of knowing it wasn’t.

After winning yesterday, McIlroy said,

“This is my 17th time here, and I started to wonder if it would ever be my time.”

There were moments throughout the final round that made it look like it still wouldn’t be his time. Time and again, he made mistakes that could have cost him the tournament—and time and again, he bounced back with grit and resolve.

His round yesterday felt like a microcosm of the last 17 years—falling short, trying again, and refusing to give up on the dream of one day wearing that green jacket presented annually to the Masters champion.

Watching him wear that green jacket yesterday was inspiring, at least it was for me. Because there are still things I’m waiting to happen in my own life.

Relationships I long for.

Professional opportunities I’ve dreamed of.

Moments with my sons that haven’t quite happened yet.

And yes, there are moments when my mind goes to that dreadful place of wondering if they ever will. For many of us, that place of wondering can become the place where we stop believing. Where we quietly begin to quit.

But watching McIlroy yesterday left me with a question I think is worth asking:

Did he win because it was finally his time—or because he never stopped believing his time would come?

Did the Masters finally happen for him yesterday, or did his faithfulness to keep showing up finally pay off?

I somewhat believe in fate.

But I wholeheartedly believe that fate often gets a big helping hand from our desire, our effort, and our commitment to the future we dream of.

Not everything in your life has happened yet. But you have a choice. You can believe it never will—or you can double down today on believing that it will… and work like it has always been meant to.

There’s a green jacket waiting for all of us.

But green jackets rarely get delivered.

They often demand that we come pick them up and put them on.

Leave now. Go pick yours up.