From our historic victory over the British in the late 1700s to our local sports team winning the national championship, we Americans love to win. Until Vietnam, America considered itself victorious in all wars. Once we hit the brick wall militarily, we were all kind of shocked. But we continued. Keep winning. The Great Automotive Manufacturing War of the 1970s pitted us against both our former arch enemies in World War II, Germany and Japan, and in the end, we sort of won.
Meaning we didn’t let them take over, although it’s hard to believe that when you see a BMW or a Corolla. Ultimately, winning is how we look at it, and how we perceive whether we are a winner or not all depends on maintaining our perspective. If you’re on a diet and want to lose 50 pounds, once you eat better, you’ve started your diet and it’s a win-win. Losing weight is almost the prize. The goal is to get started.
We Americans love to win
Because at the end of the “game” or season, there is always a winner. certainly; There will always be some controversy. “But they were deceived!” It will always be brought up during a national, sporting or political tournament. This raises a problem. If we go by the idea that winning is everything, how do we deal with losing? Well, I have the answer. Both winning and losing lie on very long curves, and are comparative, not absolute.
In fact, the concept of competition is relative in nature. If you’re a baseball player and you hit more home runs than anyone else in any given season, but your team loses the World Series, hopefully you can still win the MVP award. Because work. Achievement. Even just trying is winning.
Innovation is key
The thing to remember about us Americans is that we have weathered many storms. The stock market crash of 1929, 9/11, the housing crisis of 2009. We will survive whatever there is to survive. We have some of the brightest innovators in the world, whether it’s a renewable energy source or… A fun and exhilarating way to get around the cityWe Americans excel at innovation. We Americans love to win.
The world is going through a test.
Coronavirus is literally testing everyone’s patience and ability to cope. The whole situation is exacerbated by the fact that, unlike self-improvement, we are completely dependent on what others do. What does the government do? What is our local supermarket chain doing? What the average stranger who passes by us does.
My belief is that regarding the Covid-19 crisis, every one of us must win literally every day. Change and adjust your definition of winning. Were you able to go to the store and get milk? You can keep yourself and others safe while doing so. Are you able to keep your head above the ever-increasing dangerous financial waters? The key to all of this, of course, is to be well informed, do the work, and keep working. We Americans love to win.
Cut yourself some slack
Sometimes it’s hard to feel like a winner when everyone around you seems to have a better life. More stuff, more money, and better looks. And there’s only so much we can do about any of that. That’s why you have to cut yourself some slack. Remember where you come from, of course; But how far you’ve actually come is what matters most.
For The Hollywood Dog, that was the case Steven Alan Green
3/19/20