What would you call a person that finishes last in a competition?

A loser?

But are they really a loser?

Perhaps a better word would be a competitor.

You might think that I’m papering over the fact that the person lost their competition and I don’t want to hurt their feelings, which is partly true. However, from my point of view, the person had the courage to commit themselves to compete regardless of the outcome. Sure, they wanted to win, but they also knew there could only be one winner.

Why am I writing about competing and losing?

Because I want you to think about a time in your life when you’ve considered doing something new or different but have held yourself back because you thought you wouldn’t be as good as another person. You’ve created an internal narrative where you’ve told yourself that you wouldn’t compete because you don’t’ want to feel like, and even more daunting, look like a loser.

You’ve probably heard it said, but I’m going to remind you again that winners are not born winners. The people that win that get ahead are the ones that continue to compete regardless of the outcome. They know that losing is part of the process. They have internalized the notion that the only true losing is not competing.

I know I’m using the word competing, which is almost always associated with sports, but the definition of a competitor is broad and can cover many areas of life. And it doesn’t always mean competing with other people. Sometimes, your greatest competitor can be the previous version of yourself.

So, if you’re standing on a metaphorical sideline, think about participating in a new activity or role but are concerned that you won’t be as good as the experts or professionals in the field, remind yourself that the only real loser is the one that doesn’t compete.

P.S. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed it, please share it with one person you love.