Winning Isn’t Everything… ( or is it?)

“It isn’t whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” Am sure all you warriors are familiar with that saying mostly told to young athletes when starting out. It’s a wonderful philosophy to have and yet sometimes winning becomes more. Winning gets equaled with competitive sports or winning acting awards but really it is about much more than that.

Yes, WWE performers and even the Ultimate Warrior make or made winning a goal as it should be but what about afterwards? I’ve mentioned attaining more but it all depends on your definition of winning. Sure, it can be a belt, title, trophy, ring, or anything similar but let’s look at winning REAL stuff. How about a great family, good friends, financial security, a comfortable home, health and happiness. Don’t those account for winning as well?

I remember watching WWF (my days then) and after someone had attained a certain status, winning became well– different. What I mean is the ol’ regular pin was discarded completely. There would be a disqualification because of interference, a count out or even double- count out but not a clean win. This was because of your level at some point and getting pinned was kinda a demotion or degrading in a way. You’d still get the win but only with a twist. Being competitive means winning but it does take on new meaning when you don’t.

In the “sport” of life, we should call them lessons and not losses or failures. Everything teaches us something but we just need to find out what that truly is. Little ones need those losses over wins at times in order to better prepare themselves as adults. Our whole lives get too caught up in always winning that we forget to live fully. Yes, wins build confidence but losses build strength. We need both equally.

Our lives are defined by many things but is always winning at the top of yours? It should be but not constantly revolving around status. Play the game but win with humility. We need to remember this in every place or even arena we find ourselves in. As parents, teachers, or coaches to young kids the concept is to show them how to have fun, right? It needs to be that over the regimented winning attitude. Kids may cry if they lose and that happens. It means they care but then the lesson comes in. Adults can get angry since our emotions change with age but what is that teaching a youngster? Am sure you all know and a warrior will strive on.

A Warrior never quits and yet some losses are harder to take than others. Yes, wrestling is scripted with its wins and losses but our admiration will always remain in the win column. These are challenging issues to face and we will all have our own points of view on them. To be part of a championship is ultimate but handling a possible loss shows true character.

All of us will face many wins and losses in our lives and we need to make sure we prepare for its entirety. Winning at life is so much more important than any material gain you will ever possess. Warrior said being a father was his greatest achievement which in turn is his greatest victory or win. Yes, losses are hard to swallow as the Warrior family has endured many. Just don’t make it a bitter pill. Be proud of them and own them as a true warrior does. Maybe the huge ones will never be your best moments, months, or years but surround yourself with the wins that matter most.

Maybe your wins will not be in the same category as others but they will be yours. So, warriors- is winning everything or not? It all depends on your life and what wins are at the top for you. My wish is that your wins will outnumber and slam the opponent of losses to the mat! Look to your losses for improvement so the wins will be more special than you ever dreamed. Winning IS everything if you live your life with humbleness in the most ultimate way.

P.S. I mentioned last week that Dana and Steve have discontinued the ultimate warrior website. I had referenced it many times before so wanted to let you fans know. Yes, it does make me sad but WE need to keep his legacy alive in the way that works and I intend to continue doing just that. I respect their decision and privacy as I hope you do too….

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A Competitive Spirit πŸ‹πŸ»β€β™‚οΈπŸ€Όβ€β™‚οΈ

I’m not very competitive but are you warriors? I guess I’m referencing sports or games here but really, we all are. We are always competing in one way or another in this game of life. We compete as parents, drivers, having better vacations, and even what we post on social media. It can be anything. The question is: Do you compete to impress others or to best yourself? Hmmm. That could go both ways. Do you even have to like what you’re doing to be competitive at it?

For me, I’d always take that reverse psychology idea of being really negative like I won’t win at a game or be good enough. Sometimes, that mentality would win surprising everyone. Remember in gym class how you had to run around the school track a few times a year? My kids still do this. You aren’t competing on a team but setting a time and then trying to beat it later on. It’s for you, not them. I bet you’d be competitive when faced with certain situations but for this, you’re competing with yourself.

That takes us to the competitive spirit of Warrior. Yes, the sports he chose required much competition that fueled his mentality. He wanted to push his body excelling beyond physical limits and not necessarily being better, bigger, or stronger than another. YES, the business of pro- wrestling is extremely competitive and YES, he was bigger than most. Some of his mindset will always be a mystery but I believe the main reason was his competing with himself. He succeeded in the way that worked because of his competitive spirit with himself. His alter ego was “Mr. Resistance” whom he battled everyday. Of course Warrior wanted to be the best by beating Hulk Hogan as a goal but after that, then what?

Once you have fans cheering and clapping for you, it does make your competitive nature increase naturally. It would for any of us. Fans will bring that out every single time. The video above has Warrior saying: “… for the opportunity to prove I was the best, that my warriors believed in me because I was the best.” (That’s not why I believed in him but let’s move on…) These are just his words for the promo and what the Ultimate Warrior was referencing regarding Randy Savage and their feud leading up to Summerslam in 1992. Professions are different than personal lives but do you feel the need to prove you’re the best?

When things are going your way, do you push harder or keep it the same? It all depends on your own competitive spirit. Your choice warriors. Either way you’ll get results of your choosing. Sometimes, we can surrender to competition but then that spirit drives us to want more. Being in a sport can start at a very young age and if it continues, that competitive nature will go on and on as the mindset changes. How many awards, trophies, or titles do you need before stepping aside just a little?

There are those forces in life that need us to compete but it shouldn’t have to be everything. Getting caught up in being the best is great motivation but when is it too much? Lots of questions here but worth examining… Your best may not equate with someone else’s best. It’s all in our own views of what we consider with that competitive spirit. I know now that most of my competing was and is always with myself. It used to be more centered around others but not so much anymore. Always the mind warriors, it truly is. Now, I realize that my spirit doesn’t need to be the best constantly as it becomes exhausting.

Meditation has brought me awareness of being enough. What and how I do activities today will be enough. I’ve accepted that and don’t beat myself up mentally anymore because of competition. I don’t physically either with my workout. No, I’ve never been in a professional sport so that becomes another competitive challenge. Who knows exactly how I’d handle all that and naysayers drive you to compete more.

So, warriors– do you feel the need to fuel that competitive spirit or do you push it aside? We need both ideas but it’s up to you deciding what and how much. We constantly evolve with certain goals to achieve in our lives. Warrior kept his competitive spirit always as was his destiny to do so. Competing with others or yourself is a life-long journey and one we may never fully abandon because we’re human.

Just know there are ways to balance out all this and make that competitive spirit worth it. You feed your success. Only you can decide how much and make it work in your life. YOUR best is good enough…

P.S. The photo above was another YouTube video from RocketFuel so check it out! (4:07)

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