I’ve been watching a lot of the West Wing recently (I’m only on season 4, so may I implore no spoilers, please!) and I love it. It cheers me up. It gives me hope in intelligence, hard work and moral integrity. (Which can’t be said for many American dramas, but that’s another story…)
I’m also reading Carole King’s memoir, Natural Woman, which is both beautifully written and completely fascinating. The section I’m on right now is about her work with political campaigns for presidential candidates, so these two things have started fitting together, and it got me thinking about the concept of winning.
Carole King performed (at fundraisers) for two presidential candidates who didn’t become the next president, but she wholeheartedly admired and respected their campaign and ideologies. She found “joy in finding common purpose with other Americans… who had come to politics not out of fear, hatred, or greed but because they wanted to make the world better.”
Oh, Carole. Yes! Yes to coming to anything in life from somewhere other than fear.
It strikes me that we often get caught up in “winning” or “success” as arbitrary achievements. You win if you make a sale. You’re successful if your product is featured on a certain website.
Sometimes, we think that doing better than someone else means we’re winning In fact, there’s a line from Toby in the West Wing: “You want to beat them. I want to win.”
What if winning is, like Toby, about your own definition of success?
What if you get to choose what matters to you? (Spoiler alert: you do)
What if it doesn’t matter whether you get elected as president, but that you influence the people who are to create policies and projects you believe in?
It’s no secret that I’m highly motivated by doing a good job. I’m an idealist and a recovering perfectionist. I want it to look good, with integrity, positivity and accuracy – as well as a high dose of authenticity.
If I can get through my day sharing my wisdom, encouraging people to do what matters to them, and helping them find ways to do more of it, that’s enough for me. That’s winning.
So here’s the thing:
What does winning mean to you? How do you define success? How do you define enough? (Which is just as important.)
Perhaps it’s enough to get out of bed each morning, think about your business and keep your dream alive.
Perhaps it’s enough to connect with people who like your designs and your ideas.
Perhaps you’re winning if you make one person’s day with your designs and your ideas.
Perhaps you’re winning if people are buying your products.
Perhaps you’re winning if you’re breaking even right now.
Perhaps it’s enough that working for yourself makes you happy, and that you get to share your happiness with other people.
Whatever winning means to you, define it. Live by it. Take some time to think about it, so that you can celebrate each little win.
Jx
