Winning and Losing

To say I’m a very competitive person is a gross understatement. I have the ability to make everything a competition, even when it really doesn’t need to be. At times, this trait can be a big asset. In sports, a competitive fire can propel you to victory or in business it can give you that extra drive needed to gain an edge over others that may want the positions or opportunities that you want. Competitive people are trained to win. They are constantly seeking out the number one spot and will do whatever it takes to come out on top. However, just as it can be a positive, being overly competitive can be a detriment as well.


In life, sometimes it’s not always a competition and even when it is, sometimes no matter how much you want something or work for something, you might just lose. Maybe you got rejected from the college you wanted to go to or the boy you thought you were meant to be with chooses someone else. Maybe you didn’t get the dream job or someone beats you out for that promotion at work. All of these things don’t necessarily make us losers but they do allow us to see what it’s like to be on the defeated side of things. If we win every game we play, we will always expect to win and become numb to the great feeling of accomplishment that comes with the thrill of victory.

As a competitor, I don’t deal well with losing but this year I feel like I’ve gotten a very value lesson in learning to deal with not being the best. Typically, mediocre is a word that I would never associate with myself and definitely not a category that I would want to be grouped into but what if we need to have mediocre moments to really appreciate the times we achieve greatness? Over the past few months, I’ve lost the battles for boys, the fights for professional opportunities, and I’ve even had my first losing volleyball season ever (including the 4 years I played and the 6 I’ve coached). I will admit that every time you lose, it stings but I’m realizing that when I finally do win, it will be a great feeling. When I finally get the guy or the next opportunity for success comes along, I will be able to really value it because it wasn’t easy to come by.

“Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson