Source: Gridiron
The limelight is on… the winner! Only the winner matters – to media, to press, to followers. But what about the loser? What about those other four super actors and acresses at the Acadamy Awards who do not make it to giving a – mostly – improvable winner’s speech?
The Only One Who Can Make You Win is You
I did not win at our Toastmasters Continental Europe District Conference in The Hague last weekend. And yes – I was disappointed. My first thoughts were very human: “The judges were wrong!” or “This is because I was the first speaker!” or “The voting system is inadequate!” – The first thing you do when losing is to look for external factors. Stop that! The only factor that matters is YOU. You are the only one who can turn you into a winner!
Who Tries More Often Has More Chances To Win
The next day I was sitting on the plane on the way back to Barcelona. Agony had disappeared. The will to succeed had shown up again. I started to design the speech concept for the next Toastmasters Speech Contest in fall.
When you apply for a job and it’s the 15th time you are turned away, it is normal that frustration takes over. Frustration is poison. Sanitize your soul with another powerful attitude: perseverance. The chances to win in life, undisputably, correlate with the number of trying. Keep trying – always!
The Power Of Not Winning Yet
The second place in our The Hague contest went to Bob Mohl who gave a fantastic speech on changing our perception. With his 60 years he had no children and, logically, no grandchildren either. A friend told him to apply for a super grandad “position” in a selected family with multiple chidren who had no longer a grandad. It happed through an internet service. The perfect match. Today Bob has it all: he gives love in abundance, he receives love in abundance. Bob inspired us all to always change our perception to a positive side.
Losing has its positive side. It makes you keep going. It drives you to achieve more. Losing sharpens your skill of perseverance.
Use this power of not winning yet and change it into a winning attitude: The continual improvement of your own capabilities and your perseverance will turn you into a winner – sooner or later. And then one day, you will be standing in that limelight. You will think of grandad Bob and… smile!