The will to win is important. Everybody says “I will win” at the start of a game, a campaign, or a new business. And I'm sure they mean it …at the time.
Yet in life and especially anything relating to business, there are always winners and losers. One of the things I wonder about is what gives some people the will to win? Why do others think doing just enough to get by is enough. And why do some people feel entitled to the fruits of work of other people?
Thinking/Mindset
What causes some people to read ‘will to win quotes' every day? Why is the question on the minds of some unsuccessful people; “When will i win the lottery?” Why did I open the fortune cookie that contained the words “It's not the will to win, but the will to prepare to win that makes the difference.” Think about this famous quote.
The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. – Confucius
When you think about it though, the will to win is only part of the equation. The statement is slightly flawed, much like Rhonda Byrne's ‘The Secret' (from 2006). The Secret is a book and a film about the Law of Attraction. I feel the Law of Attraction is real. Her book however suffers a flaw because it minimizes the necessity of action.
A lot of people came away from that book thinking all they had to do was sit around and think about what they wanted. After a while, it would magically appear. While thinking is important, especially critical thinking and planning, ACTION… doing the things to make what you want to happen real is much more important. Nothing happens unless you practice before you put the ball in play. Consider this…
The will to win is nothing without the will to prepare, – Juma Ikangaa
Preparation/Practice
If you act, you rehearse until you know your lines. If you play music, you practice until you don't need to use the sheet music anymore. If you sell, you spend hours perfecting your ‘elevator pitch'. The point is, you never wing it or assume it's going to happen. You work hard to make sure you have done your best. ( At least I hope you do.)
It's a lot like learning how to swim, ride a bike, or build a piece of furniture. You make mistakes. You learn what to do and not to do. You use Just in Time Learning to discover what you need to achieve the next level. You make lots of mistakes. But soon you can actually swim, ride your bike, or make a beautiful piece of furniture. This is how it's done in any field. Think – Practice – Persevere.
“Some guys they just give up living, others start dying little by little piece by piece, some guys come home from work and wash up, and go racing in the streets.” – Bruce Springsteen
Another term for all of the above is Self Control. Read these self control tips…
- Self-Control – The Ultimate Free Home-Based Business Building Gizmo | Part One
- Part Two
- Part Three
- Part Four
- Part Five – Self Control Resources
Persevere/Stick to it
If you have the will to win, you'll develop the will to prepare and persevere. Then you will achieve self control. This way, you have an unfair advantage because many people have the will to win, but only if it comes easily. They don't have the rest of it. Think of the unknowable number of people who quit, right before they would have succeeded. Stick to your guns. You know better now. The will to win is not enough. But you know that and that's your competitive advantage.
