Medinah, of course, is that magical kingdom of the Poulter legend where impossible was conquered. This father's comments to his eldest son might seem simplistic, but shed light on the psyche of Europe's finest performer who will resume his extraordinary Ryder Cup odyssey next week at Gleneagles.
"The trick is to feel that pumped up, but to keep your focus. Getting to that state of intensity actually helps me perform. I don't know why.
"For 103 weeks of the cycle as a pro golfer, it's not just about winning or losing. Face it, pros 'lose' for the majority of their careers. Even the greats have more weeks when they don't win than when they do. So if you finish second, or third, or whatever, you have 'lost' but you've had a good week.
"That's the way golf is. There's a lot of grey. But in the Ryder Cup it's black and white. When the game starts on Friday, you know that come Sunday evening you're going either to have won or lost. Everything has to go on the line, because it's all or nothing. And that's why the passion pours."
It was a veritable downpour at the windy city last time, as Poulter and Co pulled off a Chicago heist of such audacity that some of his old infamous gangster characters would have blushed. From 10-4 down to a 14-13 victory in one almighty burst of moxie.
"If someone was to have written a book with that plot you would have said 'complete nonsense'. I guess I was a main character and I guess that fourball on Saturday afternoon was the turning point. We were desperate. Rory [McIlroy] and I were saying to each other, come on, just one spark to get us going. And he birdied the 13th and we were off."
In fact, Poulter was off. McIlroy stood back in awe.
"Sometimes you are given an opportunity that is so fleeting you have to be able not to worry about the ... what if this doesn't happens'. You just have to stand there and deliver. It was all about showing the team that there was a chance. We saw it with Stevie G [Gerrard] with Liverpool in Istanbul. Somebody had to do something to start the snowball effect. I'm just honoured it was me."
What Poulter has done in three Ryder Cups demands examination. He has won 11 out of his past 12 games, a run that only Arnold Palmer bettered in winning 11 and halving one between 1965 and 71 when the competition was not as strong.
His exploits won't have escaped the Americans. Not just his record, but his act, as he screams his passion, before holing those putts, pumping those fists and popping those eyes.
"I'm probably the most vocal Europe team member and, no doubt, it riles up some of the US team. They all want a shot. And that's fine. I've answered those questions before and have to go out there and do so again and again, shot after shot, game after game, not looking forwards or backwards."
Certainly in 2014 there is little to look back on. Poulter has yielded just one PGA Tour top 10 finish this season and will arrive at Gleneagles after a three-week break enforced by his premature exit from the FedEx playoffs. But Poulter has some bad news for them.
"I had three weeks off before Valhalla, two weeks before Celtic Manor and three weeks before Medinah. Although I didn't plan these breaks, I think you can see it's been a successful way to prepare.
"Because of all the niggles I've had, I think this period will prove invaluable come the Ryder Cup. I'm the strongest I've felt all year."
