WINNING ISN'T EVERYTHING? WHY NOT?

Have you ever worked around somebody that didn't put on deodorant? How about talking with someone that has bad breath? It doesn't matter how great a person they are, you are always distracted by the smell. Eventually you move away from them because you don't feel comfortable around them.

That's how I feel about the phrase "winning isn't everything". It stinks. It's a cop out. It says to me that you aren't willing to work to be the best.

The problem is the concept is true in principle. There is more to life than always winning. Coaches that don't remember that fact get lost in the game. Parents that don't remember that fact become critical of the coaches and their athletes. Players that don't remember that fact are doomed to disappointment. In the larger scheme of things winning a state championship is an accomplishment that means very little by itself.

So, if winning isn't everything, what is? To me, learning how to be a winner is everything. It stays with you forever and is applicable in any circumstance.

When you're faced with getting an education but the road is hard, how do you win?
When your marriage is struggling, how do you win?
When you've done things you aren't proud of, how do you win?
When you watch your kids doing things that disappoint you, how do you win?

Winning a state championship may not be the pinnacle of all achievement but does that mean it isn't worth working toward? No. Accomplishing it is a training ground for learning how to win. If you consider the process of becoming a state champion, the title itself means very little but what it stands for means everything.

What does becoming a state champion mean to me?

1. You were willing to sacrifice to achieve your goal.
2. You faced the fear of failure and won.
3. You became strong physically, mentally and emotionally.
4. You worked with others.
5. You were dedicated and overcame obstacles.

So, winning isn't everything as long as you have trained yourself to become a winner. If you've left behind your old self and became a better, stronger person then winning the game is just a part of the process. But when a winner loses a game he figures out why and tries not to do it again. He may accept the loss but he doesn't accept losing. He may believe winning isn't everything but he never uses the phrase as a cop out.