We all like to think we're winners.
We like to believe that we are successful in our job, school, and relationships. We like to see progress, even if it isn't really there. We imagine that we are heading to this thing, this end goal, and that by achieving that goal, we will be winning at life.
Truth is, you can't win.
There is no "winning" in the real world. There is no thunderous applause, no confetti cannons, no wonderful feeling of elation for the momentous achievement you just overcame. There is no "winning."
Reason being that, in reality, there is always some other thing you will be working for now that the first goal is done. For example, once you graduate high school, there's college. After college, it's getting your first job. After getting the first job, there's getting the first promotion. Then there's meeting someone special. First anniversary. Getting married. Kids? Maybe. Another promotion. New location. Kids now. Kids first day of school. New job. Kids first day of middle school. Started saving for college? Oops too late now! Getting new car. New house. Kids graduate high school, and the cycle repeats.
You can never win because there is never an end to the game.
There is no end to the multitude of dreams you have, so why should there be a finale to your goals? Why should you ever stop setting goals for yourself when you are still alive, kicking, and oh so capable of chasing after them? Even if you fall down a million times, even if the world is kicking your ass to oblivion and back, you should never stop chasing your dreams.
Because sometimes you can do everything right ,everything you're supposed to do, and it still falls apart. That doesn't make you a failure. That just makes you human. Sometimes we need to be reminded of that.
We can't ever win at a game that is flawed, that is played by cheaters and people smarter and more capable than us, and that is always changing the rules. We can't ever win at life because we are never fully prepared for every curve ball thrown our way, for every slip up or meltdown.
But this time, this one time in our lives, it's not about winning. It's about chasing your dreams, falling down time after time, but continuing the chase. It's about picking yourself up when everyone is telling you to stay down, and fighting till your last breath.
Winning is the end goal. Everything until that point is, well... that's life.
