Monday Success Reflections: You can't win if you don't play
Welcome to another week of greatness. I hope the year has been unfolding it's good packages to you. In today's Monday Success Reflections, I want to share something i have been pondering on since the early hours of today.
Sometimes, I wonder why or how people think that they can win a game they did not play. Can you imagine yourself winning a chess game that you are a spectator in, and not one of the player? That is not possible. I have also seen some fans of major world's leagues fight with each other, or even cause harm to themselves because a team they only support, and not part of lost a game.
However, this is the mindset that many people possess. They want to win in a game that they are not part of. You can't win if you don't play. And the same way that there is no guarantee that you will win when you play, so also is the guarantee that you can win if you play. It all depends on how prepared you are to play.
And even if you play in a game and lose, you would be far off better that the one who stood by the side all his or her life, waiting for winning to happen. You would have learned the tricks and tactics that would have enhanced your potential to win because you played. When you do not give up and try again, you could win.
Let's imagine the following questions:
How would Obama had become the first black president of America if he never contested? How would Michael Jordan had become a world's super start outside the basketball court? How would the Orwell brother had flown the first plane if they didn't try? And how would I have had a scholarship from my University if I never applied?
You see my friend, you can never win outside the playing ground. I believe that to win in life, you must find a way to engage life daily. So how do you then play to win? I have three vital things to bear in mind that I want to share with you today if you must play to win.
1. Identify your platform: Every winner must first be able to play but every winner does not play and win on every platform. While Usian Bolt is the champion on track events, he may not be able to achieve similar feats if the platform changes to playing the piano. To play and when, you need to identify the playing ground on which your strength is made manifest and mostly utilized for peak performance and improved results. If not, you will continually be struggling to win.
2. Identify your team mates: Knowing who's on your side and who's not is a critical factor in winning in the game of life. However, I usually think or rather, mostly believe that it is more important to know who's on your side and is able to provide you with the support you need to win. How do you think someone like Messi playing for FC Barcelona would have fared alone on the pitch if he didn't have mates who helped to create the opportunities he utilizes to score? The point here is that you can not win playing alone. You need a team of helpers and supporters to do so. It is your job to find those who believe in you and in your dreams by their actions and responses to your dreams and visions and seek their support.
3. Identify your target: If you identify the right playing ground and team mates and yet do not know what you want to aim at, then it is still impossible to win. The combination of the two points above should be able to help you score a goal. This is only possible if you know where the goal post is. You will need to know what is the most pressing need in your life before you are able to meet it. If not, you will exert energy on the wrong things in your life and this will leave you exhausted and discouraged.
So, my reflection for you today is still that 'if you want to win, then you must be willing to play [the game of life]. I just hope that these 3 factors will help you then learn to play and play to win!