If you recognize, and love, that quote from the movie Talladega Nights….

then, this post probably isn’t going to be what you’re expecting. Because, even as someone that considers himself a highly competitive person, that saying (more specifically, the mindset it represents) drives me nuts!

I hate the concept of all that matters is winning. Make no mistake, that in no way means that I am one of those every one deserves a medal guy! To the victor goes the spoils! is what I believe.

However, I do believe that there is actual value in the process of competing and attempting to win. In fact, I believe there is more value there than actually winning. Winning is the gravy on your chicken fried steak……the work you put in to trying to win, is the actual steak!

Life isnt about winning. Life is about getting up every day….grinding it out, working hard, competing for what you want. If you win (however that’s defined for you) then great…..you should feel proud, enjoy it, and reap the benefits! If you don’t win….but you put in an honest day’s work, I think that’s great too. It certainly doesnt mean you lost. You don’t deserve a medal or ribbon for it, so dont expect one. But, you are waaaaay ahead of the guy that didn’t get up and grind out the day!

If you aint first, you’re last!……a great line, in a funny movie. But, as is the case with most things Hollywood, not very applicable out in the real world. There is real value in work, it’s a lot more fun when that work results in victory, but lack of victory doesn’t diminish the value of the work.

Hard work is in fact, its own reward. My grumpy old man fear is that we focus so much on winning that we forget about what it takes to make that happen. And that is, good old fashioned hard work!  Winningainteasy……but, its also not the most important thing. Work is.

** Side note: I was a math teacher, but grammar and punctuation mistakes really bug me! For some reason word press is not allowing me to insert some quotation marks where I want them, or some apostrophes where they need to be.