Building a Culture Where Everyone is a Winner

This past week, it was all over the news about Pittsburg Steeler James Harrison sending his son's "participation" trophies back, saying everything in life should be earned.  Kudos to him, I agree.  Our culture has become a culture of "feel good" mentality because of things like participation trophies.  No one left behind...  equality for everyone...  touchy, feely lifestyle because some of us less fortunate don't think it's fair others get more, win more and have more because they did something or are something better than we are.  Hogwash.  We are all important and all mean something special....  but that does not mean we all get or end up with the same.

Have you ever applied for a job where the powers to be were only going to be selecting one of the many people who might apply for the position?  I have.  I've been on the "winning" side (been the one selected) and on the losing side (been one of the many not selected).  That's life...  that's the way it goes.  It also doesn't make it feel any better regardless of what side you end up on.

Going back to the participation trophies.  I'm almost of the feeling that participation trophies are more for the parents of the player or teams that don't "win" the game, season or event, so the parents feel better too because their child isn't the one crying.  They don't want their little ones to feel bad, so let's give them a trophy.  Have you ever watched the Little League World Series?  The losing kids often cry....  it is heart breaking, sad, difficult lesson...  but not life threatening, it's life strengthening.  It is a life lesson.  Watch the real World Series, Stanley Cup Playoffs or Super Bowl...  their are tears there too.  Life does have sad moments, but, those times can also make us stronger...  help us work harder... provide us motivation.

A good friend of mine, Björn Åberg skied in the men's moguls event in freestyle skiing at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville.  I didn't know Björn back then, we met as co-workers several years later...  we've shared good times at his home on Colorado.  I honestly don't know how he feels about his Olympic experience, he's told me about it, nevertheless, to me, he is my Olympic hero.  Björn  didn't win a gold medal, silver or bronze.  He also didn't receive a participation trophy. I believe in his event, the moguls, your score is the combined total of two runs down the hill, or something like that, it doesn't really matter.  He qualified 10th in the preliminary runs with all other Olympian mogul skiers with the top 16 moving on for a chance to win the gold...  he was there, in the midst of the best in the world and he was 10th going to the finals.  He had a chance to win it all.  James Harrison's kids had a chance to win the league too. What excitement they must have felt... whether we are thinking James kids, Björn or our own situations in going for the gold. What a rush.  For Björn, some may say, his excitement turned to tragedy when he fell on his second run.  The records will show him as coming in last...  16th place.  I'll bet Björn may himself may have been devastated....  I'm sure I would have been, even cried.  The years of training and work...  he fell down.  Don't give him a participation trophy, he was the 16th best in the WORLD at that moment.  I'm not sure exactly when, but another time, he fell and broke his back...  knocked him out of competitive skiing forever.  Björn, and the countless others like him are champions...  they were there, they worked so hard.  Failure? I think not.  I think those are paper records that show him coming in last are useless telling us about the people themselves...  I rather think of him as so good, he was capable of competing in the most competitive event in the world.  He is a champion.

So why the story of Björn?  Bjorn and those like him are the exceptions to the rule.  Few of us will rise to that level in what ever field we choose.  They are the extraordinary ones.  However, we should work and strive to always be the best that we can be.  For the 7 billion, plus or minus, of us in the world, we can seek to rise to the highest level we can with what we have been given, or with the limitations we are given.  We are NOT all the same.  We all have limitations that will prevent us from accomplishing some task, wishes or dreams.  Nevertheless, within reason, I can do anything and so can you.  We are only entitled to those things which we are reasonably capable of achieving and willing to do the work for to earn.

For most of us, we need to seek out those things, situations in which we can seek a victory.  I love Direct Sales companies.  Most of them are set up to allow anyone to try to be successful.  Many people aren't, but not because of the company, because they are not willing to do the work necessary to be an Olympian in the Direct Sales world.  Finally, we are getting to the second heart of this post...  the trophies for you and me.  Earned trophies.  I love Scentsy, I love the company philosophy and love the opportunity for everyone to win, and I mean everyone.  Within my first 2 years with Scentsy, I earned a trip for 2 to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic, all inclusive.  Not for work, but for leisure and pleasure because of the work I did to earn it.  We flew first class.  The location had an Olympic atmosphere ...  we were all winners.  The point being, I like it when there are multiple winners....  not just a single job opening; a winner or loser is unimportant, life is a game, play it and enjoy it; find a place where you can be a winner, regardless of what others do or achieve, but where you can feel like a winner nevertheless.

One final thought or example...  you'll need a watch with a second hand or a stopwatch so you can time this activity.  As you read along, you will see the word "Start"...  that's when you start the timer.  Read the message that follows until you understand it all and get to the "Stop" message at the bottom.  Take the time it needs for you to decipher and understand each word in the message.  Disclosure: as I said, I love Scentsy and have been working as a Scentsy Independent Consultant for 5 years as of this writing.  I originally wrote this for people coming into the Scentsy business....  that is irrelevant to this example, although, you will read a reference to the Scentsy business.  It could be 31, Tupperware, Pampered Chef or whatever...  it doesn't matter, just read and figure out what you are reading.  Ready?

Start

If you can read this, 

you have a business mindset needed to succeed

Figure it out, work it out

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Stop

How long did it take you to figure it all out? Great! I could tell you how long it takes me to read it or how long it takes the next person to read it, but does it matter? How long it took was just a distraction and useless information. What matters is that you worked at it, you figured it out, you did what it took to figure it out. Doesn't matter if you wrote it down, translated or did it all in your head. You did it. Whether it took seconds, minutes, days, weeks or months, if we both read it and can do it, we are both winners. What about those who can't... then we need to work with them... teach them, assist them, mentor them... help them do all they can do. Art Williams once said, "all you can do is all you can do". Keep learning, keep reading. Where it takes you is awesome for you, regardless of where it takes others.

Always remember, you are amazing.