Many of you have heard about a new young buck on the golf scene named Jordan Spieth. Last month, Spieth claimed a prestigious, preppy green jacket of his own, at the age of 21, when he conquered Augusta. He even tied the all-time record for The Masters with his stunning score of 18 strokes under par.

Near as I can tell, Spieth’s reputation and his character seem to be stellar. Let’s hope this remains the case, so young people can continue to look up to this rockstar and admire him for his talents and his goodness.

Jack Nicklaus weighed in on Spieth:

 “I like everything about the young man. He’s polite. He’s humble. He handles himself so well, on and off the golf course. And he’s obviously a wonderful player and now a Masters champion. I think Jordan Spieth is a great person – just as I think Rory McIlroy is – to carry the mantle for the game of golf.”

Not a bad comment to receive from the most successful golfer who ever walked the earth, eh?

Another super-cool tidbit that I learned about Mr. Spieth is that, back in 2009, he received a scholarship through his high school’s work grant program. This newly-minted golf superhero took the time to write an authentic note of thanks to the scholarship donors to express his appreciation.

Not only did Spieth have the class to send the thank you note, but he also had vision; in his letter, he shared his dream to someday win the Masters. From a parent’s perspective, I think the lesson that we can impart to our children is twofold:

1.  Show gratitude for the opportunities that come your way.
2. Figure out what your dreams are and what you want out of life so you can go after it!

Gratitude and dreams – now those are two great concepts – so simple yet impactful…and positive!

So, Jordan Spieth, thank you for the inspiration and for being the gold standard of polish and class, on and off the links. While I may not guide my kids to perfectly duplicate your heavenly swing of irons (hey, it’s their call on what dreams they pursue), I can certainly share your playbook around taking the time to do the right thing, all while keeping focus on your goals!

Choose kind,
Leigh Ann

P.S. Want to help your kids make a habit out of expressing gratitude to those who gave them something to appreciate? Try Wear the Cape’s Gratitude-Strong Thank You Cards. Ten come in a pack, and they’re perfectly-suited to teach kids what gratitude is AND what it looks like in action. They even have wide-ruled lines to make writing a brief note easy. Order by clicking here.