Life Lesson: Winning and doing, losing and quitting?

Throughout the sixty odd years which we spend on Earth, we learn a certain number of Life Lessons which change our perspective and help us to become the people we eventually will be. In a way, these lessons allow us to mould our characters and structure our personalities. One school of thought is very clear on the number of personalities the world has – according to this manner of thinking, you are either a doer or a quitter. You either perform as well as you can, or you crumple and lose your focus. You either do, or you fail. Many people think this is too harsh a judgment to pass upon personalities – however, there is a difference between winning, and doing – and between losing, and quitting. Why do people travel all over the world, train for months at a stretch, and push themselves to the limit just to compete in triathlons, marathons and decathlons? With the number of people competing, winning such a tournament would be a feat against probability for anyone in the world. At the end of the day, why should anyone be motivated to experience the world, explore nature or try to excel in any other way, when at the end of the day the chances of winning at life are miniscule, and the standards so diverse that it doesn’t make logistical sense to try? Ask a Quitter. He or she will express the opinion that making an effort is for someone who has nothing else to do; that excursions and trials are for people who do not know any better. A quitter may concede that yes, he or she has occasionally tried new endeavors, but have reached the conclusion that it is a waste of blood, sweat and toil and that the easiest way to avoid disappointment is to not try. Ask a Doer. He or she will agree that it is an exertion for your mind, body and soul. Keeping up with everyone in the world – and keeping in mind that someone, somewhere is always better at what you have spent your life doing – is nerve-wracking and back-breaking. A Doer will acknowledge the difficulties he or she faces in taking up anything out of his or her comfort zone – but one thing which a Doer will have is fulfillment. He or she will go on to tell you that while the rewards may be minimal and the waiting time between them may be hard, but when he or she reaches the milestone the effort is well worth it. Marathon runners all over the world have a simple motto – ‘The pain is temporary. The pride lasts forever.’ When a runner or an athlete competes in the marathon, the winner seldom matters – everyone who finishes the race deserves a medal, praise and respect. It’s not about how well you did – it’s about what you put into it and how much effort you made. At the end of the day, life is a marathon – and the winners are the ones who tried.

Traveling Minds