A Winner's Advantage

People say that the rich becomes richer and the winner just keeps on winning.  What do these people have in common that they just keep on being at the top of their game?

Nelson Mandela gives us a definition of a winner. He said, “A winner is a dreamer who never gives up”. A winner is not one who throws in the towel after losing a game.  For a winner, a lost fight just means the beginning of another dream. Winning is not just about being the number one; a winner may lose a battle but he can still be considered a winner because he extracted something from that experience and that learning experience will help him win the next battle. A winner thinks ahead; he keeps dreaming, planning his next course of action and implements the plan. A winner competes against himself; a winner strives to always improve himself.

These definitions of a winner bring us to the character advantage of a winner. What is this advantage that keeps winners on the top of their game, making it easier to just keep on winning? I would like to suggest the following advantages that winners have.

First, winners are learners. They intentionally discuss their mistakes in the hope of getting information on how they could improve.  They accept negative feedbacks and learn from these comments. Losers on the other hand are defensive. They hate comments and suggestions. They avoid feedbacks.

 

Winners are confident; they know that they can win as long as they continue to improve their craft. Because of this confidence, they view practicing and learning as tools to a positive outcome, not as a punishment. For athletes and musicians, practice means everything. Why do you think Michael Jordan is so good in basketball?  Is it just his physical attributes? He improved his body by lifting weights and eating the right food.  Moreover, he practiced 5 hours a day, 5 days a week even on offseason. Athletes spend bone breaking hours in the gym practicing and exercising. Musicians will keep on doing the same task over and over again till they perfect their piece.  If such practice does not result to winning, winners go back to practice, examining and improving many small processes and routines.

 

Winners focus; they keep their eye on their goal. Winners are determined to win; they don’t think otherwise. Losers often punish themselves; recreating their loss in their heads. They don’t move on; losers wallow on their failures. Winners have fewer distractions; they keep their mind on winning. For instance, gold pro Tiger Woods won nearly every championship because he kept his heart and mind in winning.

 

Winners are most often in good mood.  You would seldom catch them on a low emotion even when they lose.  They always have a positive perspective. Mood affects performance. High spirit produces physical energy and the resilience to persist after setbacks. Winners keep on playing to finish the game even when injured while losers use any form of excuse to stop. Winners exhibit certain “high”, certain adrenalin that is impossible to quench.  

Winners find solutions; losers resort to finger- pointing for their failures. Winners have high aspirations even after a loss. In a win, they would generously mention team support as one of the reasons why they won. Losers will most likely blame others even their team for a mediocre performance.