winning

“You can stand tall without standing on someone. You can be a victor without having victims.” Harriet Woods

Very often victory is defined by beating others. Surely if you want to be #1 you have to get there first. But if you manage to do this without causing emotional hurt to others you become a true victor.

“Just because you deserve it doesn’t mean that you’re going to get it. Sometimes you’ve got to take what’s yours.”

I find this to be an alarming trend in South Africa today. People seem to think they deserve things just because of who they are (or think they are) or because of what they’ve done. Not to mention the legacy of Apartheid.

 “You win some, you lose some, you wreck some.”  Dale Earnhardt

When things go well, who gets the credit?  When things go badly, who gets the blame?  If you’re like most people, everyone gets the blame for the latter.  Everyone from competitors, coaches, event organizers, equipment – even the weather! 

“There are one hundred and ninety nine ways to get beat, but only one way to win; get there first.” Willie Shoemaker
 
Tiger Woods said it… Second is the first loser! But for most of us the point is not to win, but to not get beaten. Take competitors out of the equation for a second. Before you can beat others, you have to beat your inner demons. The inner voices, the excuses for not training, the lack of preparation, the lack of confidence, the equipment. Only once you have achieved outstanding quality in your own performance can you begin to look besting others.
 
By only looking outward, at your competition, you give away the power within you. You give your competitors power over you – power they do not deserve. Excellence should be your first priority. Winning your next one.

 “Hard work and togetherness.  They go hand in hand. You need the hard work because it's such a tough atmosphere... to win week in and week out. You need togetherness because you don't always win, and you gotta hang though together.”  Tony Dungy