The Winning Mentality – And the Consequences that Go with It

Winning Mentality is A Love-Hate Relationship

At 67, I have been around the block a few times. No matter how many times I circle, the experience I’ve gained doesn’t always make it easier to overcome the next time. Some life lessons go unlearned. I suppose that will be the case in 2022 - I will set out to be the best and suffer the disappointing reality of the eternal optimist.

Perhaps things transpire for you like this too. It is a never-ending cycle for me. It begins with the expectation to be excellent with something I’m passionate about, whether at work or competing in sports. It doesn’t go that way; I get down, lose focus, and perform worse; then, I lose sleep thinking about it.

They are some of the same issues I encountered in my baseball career. I wish I had been better at dealing with them then. And, you would think after all these years, I would be better at them now. I’m not, but that’s ok. It’s a sign of caring and the opposite, not caring, is never acceptable. I vow to keep grinding; knowing better is possible, which is the earmark of the competitor.  

The following are some lessons from 2021 and all the years before. My goal for the coming year is to once and for all conquer them, better myself, and keep striving for the identity I want – one who gives his all, another sign of a winner.

The Winning Mentality When Things Go Awry

Lesson 1 - One should only expect their A-game 33 percent of the time, at best. To win, it’s OK to expect perfection but know an avenue exists to come out on top when it doesn’t go according to plan.

Lesson 2 - Beating yourself up after failure and dwelling on the negatives is a recipe of the malcontented. To win, I must have self-compassion and understanding and continue to look at the bright side of things.  

Lesson 3 - Total focus is rare when mad. I should maintain an even keel to win, especially when times get tough.

Lesson 4 - Without the ability to focus, forget about winning. I must have the mental strength to clear the mind when cluttered to stay in the moment.  

Lesson 5 - When not performing up to standards, don’t sleep on it. I will do something about it before trying to sleep, even if it’s only mentally rehearsing the fix.

Finally, if you want to look at yourself as a winner and who doesn’t, it’s critical to understand you have the power to shape the mind to become one. 

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