I Win

"I didn't lose, I just ran out of time at the end of the game."

I laughed the first time I saw this quote on the back of a T-shirt. I figured they are either in denial, or they had a real grasp of what life is always about. Never giving up on your dreams. The teams that lose a championship one year and come back to win it the next - those are the organizations I really have respect for.

I believe there are two keys to living an untethered life.

1. Never give up on your dreams. It is never too late to do great things. At 62 Tolkien published the first of his Lord of the Rings stories. At 71 Katsusuke Yanagisawa became the oldest man to climb Mt. Everest. At 89 Albert Schweitzer ran a hospital in Africa. At 95 Nola Ochs became the oldest person ever to earn a college degree.
2. Embrace the journey. If I am going to be 95 when I get my diploma, or 71 when I reach the top of Everest, I am going to enjoy the journey along the way. I would love to see all my dreams and aspirations come to fruition tomorrow, but it's just not going to happen. I have a series of successes and failures ahead of me, so I will revel in the victories and learn from my defeats, but I will continue to cherish this path God has set me on till I finish the course.

So win or lose, victory or defeat - I win at life. I embrace the journey, cherish the moments along the way and at the end of the day, maybe I will be remembered for something exceptional, but if not, rest assured that it was a great ride.

The Attitude of Winners

"If you even dream of beating me, you better wake up and apologize." Muhammad Ali


There were a lot of people who didn't like the arrogance of Muhammad Ali. That same statement could be made about General George Patton, Jimmy Connors, Ty Cobb, Richard Branson and scores of other individuals who lived confident, unapologetic lives; but the bottom line is they are winners.

I am not suggesting that we have to embrace every behavior, but a strong sense of self, the ability to believe in our dreams when others laugh, the power to move confidently in the direction of our greatest ambition when the world calls us fools - these are the characteristics that set winners apart from the rest of the masses of bright, intelligent, talented individuals who lack that little something extra.

I remember reading a story about a young man who asked a successful mentor what it takes to get ahead. The answer was very telling - "and then some." Do the best you feel you can do, "and then some." Give your employer all that he asks for, "and then some." Work as hard as anyone else you know, "and then some."

Winners know there is something deep inside them that makes them winners. We should not be offended because they bask in their own excellence - we should be challenged by it.