EVERYBODY GETS A TROPHY

When I was a child my mom always told me, "You don't just play to win and you don't just play to have fun, you try to do both and you learn how to improve, win or lose." These are words I used to hear after losing a game or failing to achieve something I set out to try. My mom made me feel better about losing, but she never made me think that no one lost. I pushed myself to win and when I lost, I pushed harder next time. Somewhere along the way we quit keeping scores, we gave everyone a trophy, and we took away the drive to win. If we have taken the valuable lesson of losing out of childhood, we shouldn't be surprised when an adult can't handle defeat. Somewhere down the line everyone is forced to discover, in order for there to be a winner, there has to be a loser. Being offended and crying about everything seems to be the new norm. There could be a connection between this new attitude and giving everyone a trophy. It seems that failure has become a bad word. Society is filled with a new generation expecting something for nothing and feeling entitled. We need to teach our children and a few adults out there a new way of viewing failure. Defeat is devastating and can sometimes hurt, but so can life. Failing is something we all need to experience at a young age so we can realize not only is it not the end; it can sometimes be an awesome beginning. I am not suggesting that we take away trophies and certificates, but there should be a difference to separate the winners. Make some 1st place awards and let’s start keeping some scores. This will create better players and create better young men and women for the future. People, who never fail, never try. I do not want to live in a society of people who never try. Winning is not where our strength comes from. Our strength comes from the epic fails, the crushing defeats, the missed shot at the buzzer, the twisted ankle before the finish line, and the spotter pulling the bar off your chest to rack it. I remember the failed reps at the gym, the last lap I walked instead of running, the customer that went to the competitor, and the guy that got the job instead of me. I think about these moments and I know I will be stronger, faster, more prepared, and better qualified next time. Our defeat does not define who we are, but how we move forward after our defeat tells the story of who we are becoming. You will find yourself surrounded by average people if everyone is programmed to believe no one loses. We need to show our children that winning may not be everything but it does matter. Not everyone can win, but a few will be great. We need to celebrate these few because these are the ones who will lead us into the future, find cures, and invent the impossible. There is nothing wrong with being average, but it is more than ok to be a winner.