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- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

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Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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Play to win, but be a good loser.


Question: Dear Sir, I read your post on anger which stated that accept with gratitude what life throws at you, however, is it really possible?
Its easy to say that accept what life throws at you but how to really do this? When you take a task at hand it is with an expectation that you will come out with flying colors and of course you will feel terrible when things don't go your way. You had put in efforts so that things could go your way, you can extract from life what you want. Otherwise why would anyone put any efforts?

My Answer:

As they would say in children's sports, "Play to win, but be a good loser."

Team sports really do create quite a good mini-model of life. Some days you win. Some days you lose. If you don't accept today's loss with grace and courage, you never get to play (and win) tomorrow.

Winning isn't everything, but wanting to win is.
- Vince Lombardi

Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness.
- Martin Luther King, Jr.


It's one of life's great paradoxes ...

Accepting with gratitude whatever life throws at us is critical to happiness.

Yet without a goal and commitment, life lose much of its value.

The best we can do in the face of this paradox is to play to win, but be cheerful in defeat, and be ready to play again.

May the world be kind to you, and may your own thoughts be gentle upon yourself.
- Jonathan Lockwood Huie

Further reading:

Quotes about Winning

Quotes about Play

Quotes about Attitude

Quotes about Anger

Quotes about Gratitude

1 comment:

KEVINGAMMON said...

NEVER GIVE UP; NEVER GIVE IN GET UP
AND TRY AGAIN;SHAKE A CLOUDY MIND AND
CLOUDY THINKING;BECAUSE YOU DON;T SEE IT NOW
DOESN;T MEAN IT;S NOT COMING;HAVE FAITH
AND KEEP PERSEVERING HAVE SOME COURAGE

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