Is Winning Everything?

Recently, I was once told that winning isn't everything, the important thing is that you get to play. At that moment, I didn't know what to say. For once in my life, I was speechless!

I never thought of doing anything in which I didn't prepare to win or do my very best.

But as I thought about what they had said, I realized I hadn't always won; so winning can't be everything.

But if winning isn't everything, why do we like winning so much?

I have never had a player come up to me and say, "Hey coach, all this winning isn't what it's cracked up to be; let's try losing a few games".

That has never happened even once. There's no denying it, we like to win.

But WHY?

The answer I believe can be found in this quote by Joe Namath. "When you win nothing hurts."

That's so true, when we win nothing hurts. But the opposite is just as true, when we lose everything hurts. So the desire to win is natural because it makes us feel good. The only people who think otherwise haven't experienced the thrill of victory and have been dulled to such feelings.

Though winning may not be everything the desire to win is! Without the drive to win, there is no reason or motivation to practice, to work harder or to do that little extra that will make the difference.

So, it is the desire to win that compels us to practice when others have quit. It is the desire to win that makes us put in extra hours after everyone else has gone home. It is the desire to win that compels us to go the extra mile.

And we desire to win because everyone loves a WINNER.

Winning Quotes

"A winner is someone who recognizes his God-given talents, works his tail off to develop them into skills, and uses these skills to accomplish his goals." -- Larry Bird

"All right Mister, let me tell you what winning means you're willing to go longer, work harder, give more than anyone else." -- Vince Lombardi

"Winners are people with a definite purpose in life." -- Denis Waitley

"Accept the challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration of victory." -- General George S. Patton