Everybody likes to win. I get it. But sometimes winning just isn't everything. Growing up, I was the most competitive person. Whether it was on a sports field or just in everyday activities, I just wanted to win everything. And I got really, really mad when I didn't. Over time, I learned that it was okay to lose and with each loss it got easier. Winning isn't everything, and people should know that.
When you are used to winning everything, you never truly better yourself. It's hard to improve or realize that you can if you are always winning. People learn the best from other people and you really do need people to look up to sometimes. I've seen so many situations where someone is always at the top and they never learn anything from it. You really can learn from losing, and even though it is not ideal, it helps you in the long run.
As cliché as it sounds, losing builds character. It teaches you how to appreciate other people and how hard they work for things. Some people are just naturally talented and win because of that. It doesn’t even have to be a contest; some people just have a leg up on things. When you see other people work hard for the things they want to achieve, it makes you want to work hard and push yourself to be a better person.
Losing also teaches you how to be humble. If you're used to being the best, you won't really know how it feels for those who aren't. This can cause you to be insensitive, even if you don’t realize that you are. Being humble is something that many people struggle to be and it is an awesome characteristic to have. Humility helps you see eye to eye with people who aren’t like you.
Winning isn’t everything because it’s not the most important thing in your life. There will be other games, other shows and other competitions. You don’t have to win every one in order to feel good about yourself. You should feel good knowing that you did the best you could with what you were given. You shouldn’t have to justify yourself by a first place trophy. Rather, you should be focusing on the people that helped you get there.
I’m not saying being competitive is bad and that nobody should want to win, but I think that everybody prioritizes winning over many other important things. Five years from now, nobody is going to remember that you won tug-of-war during Greek week or that you had the highest score on a test in your class. They’re going to remember how you acted and how you treated other people for it. You’re also not going to remember that trophy or ribbon. You’ll remember the people you met and the times you had preparing for whatever event you’re looking to win.
It’s all about putting things into perspective. Winning isn’t everything, but it is nice.
