The Winnin’ Way.

 The Winnin’ Way.

What does winning mean to me?

I wanted to win at everything, everyday, since I was a kid. And time does not change a person; it just helps you get a handle on which you are. At 47 I still dislike losing, but I pose to be more gracious about it. But I’m also aware that setbacks have an upside they fuel new dreams.

But seriously what does winning me to me? Or rather when do I say that I have won? It’s the 14^th century version of the word that interests me, that is successful especially in competition.

What does being the best mean? It means you have to be better than the number two guy. But what was the gratification in that? Is it that I am a winner or is that he is loser? I remember winning the district speech contest at the age of 15, when I came home all excited my mother said, enough is enough now finishing your homework. It was at that moment I felt like that little puppy that gets the bone and drops it in front of the owner expecting a pat on the head. Yes at that point winning was not the shield I had or the Rs.105/- I received in cash it would have been a word appreciation from either of my parents.

Over the years the I have grown over the need for that visible pat, my experiences in life teach me another version of the word winning,15^th century one having a pleasing way. I realized that doing something in anticipation to prove something to someone who has hurt me did not make sense. There is nothing to be proven.

The crab, the road slam, the fire three near fatal situations in my life I realized there was nothing that could destroy me other than myself. Bad things could happen to everyone, but when they do, one can’t just fall apart and experience a living death. One had to fight back. If you don’t you are the one who loses in the end. But if one did fight that’s a win. The real glory is being knocked to the knees and then coming back.

My perception of a win now– is having a vision, a dream or desire, translating it to reality. Winning is a covenant with the future, winning is being alive. Yes, I want I want to remember as a winner. My concept of a winner someone who has given her best effort who has tried the hardest that she could. Someone who has utilized every ounce of energy and strengthen within her to accomplish something. May the vision was fulfilled maybe it was not yet the effort was complete. I realized I was not obligated to win, but I was obligated to myself to keep trying to the best I could each day.

Not all dreamers are winners, but all winners I realize are dreams. Dreams are the key to the future.  To quote the bible without a vision or dream a people will perish. You need a dream, if you’re going to win in anything you do, for you need to know what YOUR trophy is. The plaque on the wall or the thrill of the journey or the satisfaction of reaching the destination.  When one does not win it is OK because you can be busy planning to win.

The only difficult part of winning is finding someone who is happy for you.

Written for– http://www.indiatodayconclave.com