“For me, winning isn’t something that happens suddenly on the field when the whistle blows and the crowds roar. Winning is something that builds physically and mentally every day that you train and every night that you dream.”
-Emmitt Smith, American football player
The moment of the win doesn’t last. Yes, there is the sense of triumph. Yes, there is great relief when the deal closes or the conflict is resolved. But many people find there’s a blue period following a mark in the “win” column. This might take the form of an empty feeling, or perhaps a hovering sense of “what next”?
Perhaps it’s a problem of emphasis. If we place too much stock in the idea of a single, momentous turning point which defines a win, we’re setting ourselves up for disappointment when that moment passes.
But what if winning is not a moment, but a process? What if winning really exists in the time we spend training and dreaming? If winning is not a moment but a process, so is “losing.” We only lose when we stop working our process and when we stop moving the direction of our dreams.
Happiness in a career doesn’t necessarily come from winning or losing moments. It comes from being able to feel proud about what you are doing on a daily basis. Are you training and dreaming? It depends: Do you feel proud about your actions yesterday? Today? If the answer is “yes,” you’re on track. But don’t worry– if the answer’s “no,” you can make a change right now.
