Do You Play to Win or Keep From Losing?
Sometimes I think I was a sports fan in another life. Why do I think this? Because so many times I think in terms of sports analogies yet I never played sports, never watched sports.
But as the Boston Red Sox and other teams battle it out to find out which teams will compete in the World Series, I find myself thinking about the attitudes of the people I hear talking about the game.
Some people don’t want the Red Sox to lose. Others want the Red Sox to win.
The destination may be the same, but is the journey?
Think about it. When you don’t want to lose, you probably play it safe. You don’t take unnecessary chances. You don’t stretch yourself to perform better. You play defensively more than offensively. Your focus is on stopping others, not advancing yourself.
But what happens when you play to win? That’s when you push yourself harder than you have before. You risk the safety of first base for a chance at stealing second. You play aggressively keeping your eye on home plate.
You may not be a major league ballplayer, but every day you decide whether to play life’s game to win or not lose. Your perspective impacts your actions. Your perspective impacts your opportunities and whether or not you take advantage of them.
As I mull this idea over I have to admit that I tend to focus more on not losing than on winning. But I can change that perspective even if it is a bigger challenge than the Boston Red Sox ever winning the World Series.
But wait… the Red Sox DID win the World Series last year… so there’s hope for me, too!
