There is no substitute for winning and it is a great feeling if not one of the best. I enjoy watching sports not necessarily because I follow a particular team or player.
I enjoy seeing people win and behind that win or victory is a stage, a process, a story and the victory is the accumulation of sacrifice, pain, sweat and disappointments along the way. And that of course presents opportunities to learn.
It is a great feeling; fists clenched, teeth grit and a feeling of euphoria – ah the sweet taste of victory and lets not forget to mention those endorphins the brain rewards you with.
What is Winning
In this article we consider winning to be the ultimate goal for your endeavour and what that means is if your sights are set on winning the world cup or a tournament, then getting through the group stages is good but is not quite winning.
Accomplishing that ultimate goal is winning (victory as you may want to know it). There are battles along the way and they are relevant in the journey to the ultimate goal which is winning.
What it Takes
For individuals in sports, the stage is mostly in the public domain. Training for long periods of time and then playing in full view of spectators, having to deal with he discouragement and intimidation from the opposing team is also something consider.
However beyond the screams of adoring fans and the taunts of opponents, long before the confrontation, the match the seeds of victory are already sown.
In other settings winning is much more than a one match affair. It could be long hours of study in order to get a qualification or degree, physical exertion to get in shape or something even more personal.
The ability to win most importantly comes from an internal mental attitude. The physical aspect of winning is a small aspect of what it takes compared to non physical aspects such as mental fortitude, focus, discipline, perseverance, all of the things that are not visible at first glance.
Checking in with Lady Luck
I once read a quote that said ‘I find that the harder I work, the luckier I get’ so in a way, we create our luck. There is no denying working hard is good but there is an aspect of winning that nether side may control and that could be down to luck.
Looking at some of the successful people even in the sports and business world, having a talent or desire in a particular field is a good start and a distinct advantages however a considerable amount of hard-work is still required for success to be realised.
Even after working hard a lucky break is sometimes needed in order for your hard-work and talent to be in full view of the world. Luck does play an important role in winning and while you wait to be lucky, work hard. Simple as.
The Anatomy of Victory
One of the reasons to observe people or teams who win in any walk of life is the opportunity to learn lessons from their quest to being the best in what they do.
There is something to learn about how they succeeded and it leads to questions such as who did they face? Was the opponent better prepared? How much of a role did luck play in that victory? How did they win? What drives them?
The answers to these questions will help you in your journey to succeed or why you should be on a journey in the first place.
Why you need to be Winning
Taking part in anything for the sake of it is not enough – you need to win. Some people are not competitive granted but this is much more than that.
When you win, a number of things become evident and we will examine those below.
- Winning is the culmination of your efforts over a sometimes long period of time and is a reward to you for persevering.
- When you win there is an opportunity to tell your story. For every victory, there are many contestants and would-be victors who never made it either due to giving up or being defeated or failure.
- Your story is important and serves are encouragement and has lessons for other people who are looking to you as inspiration.Â
- Winning gives hope to many people and it can sometimes be considered trivial but is necessary as it allows them to participate in your joy and identify with your journey. And because you have accomplished the seemingly impossible, they know they can do it if they do not give up.
- You develop confidence to tackle bigger challenges that would make you better at what you do. More success leads to more success and helps you discover your limit so you can push past them.
Why may not be Winning
Here are them main reason why many people do not win.
- You are unsure of what ‘battle’ you should be fighting. It seems pretty straight forward but many people who do not win are not even fighting in the first place. You need to determine what is worth your time, ideals or whatever it is and apply yourself to the ‘battles’ within that space.
- A lack of mental stamina or fortitude and discipline is another possible reason people do not win. Lately I have instances where a person or team is in a losing position and despite the distractions, they maintain their focus and win in the end.
- In other cases they are ahead, become complacent and end up losing. The unseen aspect of a victory is a greater determinant of ultimate victory and that should be the focus. Your mindset – do you think like a winner or like someone who just wants to take part?
- Choose your battle wisely and save your time and energy for what is important. Not everything or everyone for that matter is important and learning to say No will serve you well. By the way, No is a complete statement of its own and does not need a why attached to it.
- Having a sense of purpose and a reason to win are important aspects of winning because it helps keep you grounded, focused and driven especially when times get hard which they will.
Summary
Winning in your ultimate quest is everything because it is the accumulation of your effort and hard-work over time and with a bit of luck too. Many victories are for you to enjoy but the sacrifice of people who have placed you in a position win cannot be ignored.
When you win, the sacrifice, prayers and whatever form of investment people have done for you is recognised. Winning is a reminder that you are one of the few that made it that far and many failed along the way. Of course an element of gratitude and respect is necessary in the process.
There are a few lessons to learn from people’s success and when you win, people will look at your life, your endeavours and see what lessons they can learn. Your victory can inspire people and cause them to find something worth living and fighting for.
These are some of the lessons to learn from every victory:
1: The Person/Team: What is their story and how did they get to this point? History adds relevance to the context. The depth from which they may have risen is an important drive.
2: The Process: This is a crucial part of a victory. Understanding the process that led to winning is important as it highlights lessons and ways to improve and do things better. So hopefully it will not take you as long to win.
3: The Prize: What do they stand to win is an indication sometimes on the value of the fight. Winning for a Nation is very different from personal wins. Succeeding in overcoming an addiction or something personal may not get a lot of applause but that experience is filled with valuable lessons.
4: The Cost: The costs can be personal, financial, physical and in other ways. Understanding what someone gave up or sacrificed to succeed makes winning even rewarding.
Winning in your life goal is everything because it is a recognition of the sacrifice you and others have made in your success and is the best way reward them.
Taking part is a start but winning should be the end goal. Now go out there and win!
