I don't think you ever will yourself to win. I think you prepare yourself the best you can, get yourself in the best mindset you can get in, and go after it.
Interpretation
Winning comes from preparation and a positive mindset rather than sheer willpower.
Jack Nicklaus emphasizes that success is not solely achieved by a strong will, but through thorough preparation and cultivating a positive mindset. Rather than simply wanting to win, one must actively prepare and position oneself mentally to pursue success effectively.
In practice
During a motivational speech at a sports event.
There's more to be learned here [St. Andrews] about course design than anywhere. Collection bunkers, false fronts, bump shots. The fundamentals of design became fundamental because of what's here. And it happened accidentally. Or maybe accidentally on purpose.
Confidence is the most important single factor in this game, and no matter how great your natural talent, there is only one way to obtain and sustain it: work.
I'm a firm believer that in the theory that people only do their best at things they truly enjoy. It is difficult to excel at something you don't enjoy.
A big part of managing a golf course is managing your swing on the course. A lot of guys can go out and hit a golf ball, but they have no idea how to manage what they do with the ball. I've won as many golf tournaments hitting the ball badly as I have hitting the ball well.
All I ever wanted to do was play competitive golf against the best players in the world.
I don't think about winning the Masters as part of the slam. You want to win the Masters because of what it means to the game.
I'm prouder of my weight loss than my Oscar! I hope it has inspired people.
Right now, in every big city ghetto, tens of thousands of yesterday's and today's school dropouts are keeping body and soul together by some form of hustling in the same way I did.
We are now faced with the fact, my friends, that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now.
Failure isn't an option. I've erased the word fear from my vocabulary and I think when you erase fear you can't fail.
Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
The reward for work well done is the opportunity to do more.
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