In sports we often hear the phrases; Win at all costs, Win or go home, and so on. I could make this post all about winning catchphrases. At the end of day do you have to win to build a winner. Some will argue yes you have to win, if you’re not a winner you’re a loser. I have found some of my greatest success and motivation from losing. Do I like losing, NO. However, if you want to win or become confident in winning you have to take a loss, learn from it and make the necessary adjustments. To me that’s something we should do with everything we face in life. If you make a mistake, learn from it, admit it and work to not make it again. I see on a daily bases people who make a mistake and the first thing they do is start finger pointing, granted it’s never at themselves.
I’ve seen and experienced ever level of success and failure when it comes to playing and now coaching sports. With playing I saw some success individually and some within a team setting but my greatest success has been a dad watching my sons compete. I’ve also seen some success as a coach as well as seeing and hearing comments such as there is no talent on your team, you can’t win, you don’t care about winning and that I’m not a good coach. Yes, I want to win, that’s why we keep score. However, my main goal for my kids is to learn how to play the game, how to improve, how to compete and how to face and overcome adversity. If i can teach my guys how to compete regardless of the score or the outcome they will become winners. Competition is where winning is built, this is the same on the field or in the board room. I see too many people get comfortable and think they are owed a spot. If you have the mindset of I’m going to work to earn my spot you will go further.
I’ve had some great individuals in my life that taught me how to compete and to never settle for simply results. Were the results always positive, no, but did I learn from them and did they make me better, yes. I’ve played and been around sports everyday of my 38 years on this Earth. In the time frame the one constant is competing. I competed against opponents, teammates and most importantly myself, my job as a coach is to get my players to develop that same mind set.
Success is contagious, as is hardwork if you want to put the time in. Getting others to buy into your thinking is the hard part. The path to success, ie winning isn’t always an easy or short one. Know the process, learn from the process and continuing to build from the process. If we can do those things, as well as compete with ourselves and others you will learn. Learning leads to growing and growing leads to you be a winner. If you compete you’ll learn how far you can go. If you learn how far you can go you have grown. If you have grown into who you are meant to be you are a winner.
So to answer the question, winning doesn’t make you a winner. You make yourself a winner.
I hope you competed with someone today, I hope you learned something about yourself today and I hope you grew a little today.
Most importantly I hope you won today.
Enjoy,
TCB