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Winners and Losers
"She's a winner!" He's a real loser". We frequently hear people
labeled as winners or losers. We seem to instinctively know the
difference.
Many years ago, I saved a poem that discusses the difference
between winners and losers. I don't know who wrote it, but I'll tip
my hat to her or him, because the poem captured the essence of
character that distinguishes winners from losers. I'll share it with
you now with my thoughts.
BE A WINNER!
Right here in the title is an acknowledgment of what most people
want. To be a winner. To feel like a winner. With all the talk of win-
win thinking, we still want to be a winner and to enjoy the positive
emotions that accompany being a winner.
Winners make commitments
Losers make promises
While some people do treat their promises as commitments, many
make empty promises knowing that they may not actually perform.
The meaning of this stanza is clear; When winners make a
commitment, they see it through to completion. You can count on
a winner to come through.
Winners go through a problem
Losers go around it, never get past it
This little-known secret of winners is powerful. When encountering
a problem, don't just work around it this one time. Why not over-
respond? Solve the problem then keep going to solve the source
of the problem. Fix it for good, not just for now.
Winners say, "Let's find out"
Losers say, "Nobody knows"
An insatiable curiosity allows winners to explore the source of
opportunities as well as the source of problems. This makes it
more likely that the winner will develop even more opportunities
while solving the source of recurring problems.
It also turns out that genuine curiosity about other people is one
of the secrets to increasing sales, improving customer service
and strengthening relationships.
Winners always have a plan
Losers always have an excuse
Have you noticed that successful people seem to know where
they're going and what they want? It's no coincidence that winners
have a plan. The process of thinking through the issue of what's
important, allows the winners to keep a clear vision of the future
and outline a path to get there. They routinely examine their
mission by asking "where am I going with this", and "how will
I accomplish my goals?"
Winners say "There's a better way"
Losers say, "It's the way it's always been done"
Continuous improvement is one of the hallmarks of successful
people. Their motto is "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing better".
Losers just keep on doing the same old things yet they expect
different results.
Winners are always involved in the answer
Losers are always part of the problem
Winners are not whiners. Instead of complaining about a problem
(or just sitting there being part of the problem), winners jump in
looking for a solution. No blame, no pointing fingers, no belly-
aching. Just fix it and move on.
Winners know there is still much to learn
Losers want to be considered an expert before knowing
how little is known
We've all encountered people who want to be "the expert", even
though their expertise is out-of-date, incomplete, or overestimated.
You won't find them in classes, in the library or in deep debate.
Winners understand that knowledge has a short shelf-life.
Winners also appreciate that, to be valuable to clients, they must
constantly explore the limits of their knowledge.
Winners learn from their mistakes
Losers learn only not to make mistakes by not trying anything different
Winners are opportunistic about learning from daily experiences.
All of us have hundreds of experiences each day that could be
valuable learning opportunities. Losers ignore them and surf the
shallow surface of their knowledge. Winners understand that
learning in today's fast-paced and ever-changing environment can't
be left to chance. Successful people make a conscious effort to
actively seek new ideas, innovation and growth.
There you have it. Is this the complete list of the characteristics of
successful people? Surely not. There are as many types of winners
as there are winners. To me, the poem addresses the fundamental
qualities of being a winner. It captures the spirit of open-mindness,
strength and compassion that makes winners and winning attractive.
Be a winner!
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