Winning is For Losers.

There’s a quote that ‘losers focus on winners, and winners focusing on winning’.

But even this is false.

The focus on winning may win you a few games,

or even a championship or two.

But this does not create LEGENDS.

True legends do not focus on winning.

Yes, you read that right.

True Legends, do not focus on winning.

Winning is simply a natural by-product of something more.

Think about the True Legends;

Michael Jordan,

Kobe Bryant,

Serena Williams,

Roger Federer,

Tiger Woods.

Players who did not just win once or twice, but players who won over and over.

Players who simply dominated their competition for years on end.

Do you think they focused on winning?

The problem with winning, is that it only lasts a moment.

No matter how big the win,

no matter how seemingly important the championship,

the elation only lasts a moment.

The celebrations may last a few hours, or a few days,

but then what?

It’s back to normalcy.

And athletes inherently know this.

That’s why those who chase the wins, and the championships, do not achieve the same greatness as the names mentioned above.

Because winning alone does not get them up at 3am in the morning 365 days a year for over a decade.

Winning alone does not motivate an athlete to train for 8 hours a day.

Winning alone is not sufficient when the going really gets tough.

Not over the course of a decade.

That’s why winning is for losers.

The legends mentioned above did not just win, they achieved greatness.

But their winning was simply a natural by-product of something else.

Of something more.

True Legends, The Rare Few,

have a maniacal obsession with the Pursuit of Mastery of Their Craft.

This is the only thing that could drive a human being to practice for 8-hours a day for years on end.

Not to run drills, or get better, or to do more than the competition,

but to study and analyse and understand every single intricate detail of their craft.

No amount of desire for winning comes anywhere close to this obsession with Mastery of one’s craft.

This is why those who seek to win seek coaches and experts:

to show them the proper technique, and the best drills to do.

It’s why they practice the same amount as everyone else, or maybe a little more.

Because that’s the ‘right’ thing to do to win.

Because that’s ‘the process’.

Those chasing the win will do all the ‘right’ things.

Those obsessed with Mastery will do whatever it takes.

Yes Tiger practiced,

Yes Michael had coaches,

Yes Serena worked on her technique,

but it wasn’t for such a lowly purpose of winning.

Can you see the stark difference between chasing wins and pursuing mastery?

The difference between doing what you’re told, and doing whatever it takes?

The difference between wanting to win, and obsession with craft?

The difference between winning as a goal, and winning as a natural by-product of your progression toward mastery?

It’s the difference between 99% of athletes, and the Legends.