Are You Trying to Win or Are You Trying to Not Lose?

Does this ever happen to you? There is a message that just keeps showing up in front of me; something that just pops up over and over again. I may have heard this before, but it’s not something that stands out in my mind until recently. By the time I saw this question for the third time in a short period, I figured I should pay more attention.

Are you trying to WIN or are you trying to NOT LOSE?

The first time was at our Aflac Winter Kick-Off two Fridays ago. (You may recall it was the day I broke a board with my bare hand. Yeah, I’m cool like that.)

The second time was during our morning devotional time as Steve read from Tony Dungy’s “Uncommon Life – Daily Challenge”. The third time was today on Lynnette Spencer Payne’s Facebook post.

I get it. Perhaps I need to give this some thought.

It takes special gumption to try to win. There’s significance to the phrase “strive for perfection.” Anyone can do just enough to not lose, but winning…aaahhhh, that takes more effort and more heart.

We’ve had a similar conversation before. Zig Ziglar said, “If you do more than you are paid to do, then eventually, you’ll be paid more for what you do.” Some folks just seem to know how to make the most of a situation, don’t they? They show up with a great attitude and do what needs doing. That attitude is a part of who they are all the time, not just who they are at work. They pick up trash they didn’t drop. They stand to hold a door open when they could hurry on to their car. They are last in the buffet line.

Playing to win takes us to another level of commitment and diligence. Playing to win gets us out of bed and to the gym. Playing to win helps us choose to eat healthier and to have regular checkups. Playing to win gets us motivated to seek solutions rather than focus on the problems. Playing to win gets us home at night to love on our families. Playing to win means we go to bed and get a good night’s rest. Playing to win means we are looking at the big picture; at all the little details that go into winning.

We each have to define for ourselves what “winning” is. Success isn’t the same for all of us. Most of us have careers and people we care about. Start there.

I’ve been in Sales for many, many years. No matter what the circumstance, winners find a way to win. The weather, the economic climate and the product certainly all play a part, but those who have the “winner” mentality, overcome and make the best of whatever circumstances they face. True winners also make it a point to build strong relationships as they foster some friendly competition. Teamwork matters to winners.

Winning is more than a numbers game. It can certainly be that you come in first place in a contest at work or in a sporting scenario. But winning can also mean that you are always trying to improve on your past performance, whether it involves baking a tasty meatloaf, vying for a promotion or finishing a marathon.

I think there’s an application of this principle for many areas of life, but you have to judge that for yourself. So, ask yourself, “Am I trying to win or am I trying to not lose?” How you answer that question matters.

Have a groovy week, folks!