Winning Isn't Everything
abracad, · Categories: self help, spiritualityIf you can meet with Triumph and Disaster; And treat those two impostors just the same - Kipling.
There's a current McDonald's TV ad about a kid's soccer game. At the end the winning team are ecstatic as they parade their trophy. Meanwhile the losers are terribly dejected. Until someone gives each of them a McDonald's meal. How suddenly happiness and sadness are reversed, as it's the winners' turn to look on in envy.
It brings to mind a time in England when I used to regularly watch the local football (soccer) team with friends. After one thrilling 4-3 game, which we just happened to lose, we all agreed we'd prefer to win a very boring 1-0.
But when all the dust has settled and time moved on, how significant really are winning and losing? Life has so many potential challenges no one even gets to try, never mind win, them all. Sure, it's important to try one's best, but if you've done that the lasting thing both winners and losers carry away is the experience.
In that light an exciting 4-3 defeat might be better than a deadly dull 1-0 victory.
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Filed in: self help, spirituality
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