The Key Question: Does Winning Matter?

Winning is a reward, an achievement. But if all you're thinking about is that finish line, you might lose the important lessons that were gained in the process.

Winning is important! It's something visible, a benchmark that teaches us and others about our effort and dedication. But if all you're looking at is that finish line, you might be ignoring the amazing ride that got you there.

Reflecting back on when I was a middle-distance runner, I now recognize that every race was not simply an opportunity to stand on the podium. It was a lesson in perseverance, teamwork, and self-improvement. My brothers and I trained with a competitive spirit that was not about defeating one another but challenging ourselves. We were part of a group of people who came together to build our city's track club. Every practice session, predawn morning jog, and training session as well as every loss or victory, helped determine our attitudes. It was only later, when I looked back, that I realized true victory was not in the win, but in the discipline, the improvement step by step, and the knowledge accumulated along the way. We did not celebrate when we lost, but we used the defeat to help us improve as a team and individually and those smarter than I realized that the strength we had developed while losing, both individually and as a team, made us stronger.

Being a champion was not easy, in softball, it took five years to clinch the provincial championship. Each season, regardless of the scoreboard, taught us valuable lessons about resilience, trust, and the importance of enjoying the game. Similarly, my time as a linesman in minor league football, being part of a Canadian championship team, reminded me that success isn’t just defined by that final win but by the shared journey that brought us together.

Sports and motivation studies will tell you that winning is definitely gratifying, but the process of seeking excellence creates enduring satisfaction. Having a single-minded focus on an outcome can rob you of the depth in incremental daily improvement and learning. Instead, setting process-type goals, like improving your skills, building endurance, or even learning a difficult play, will be more gratifying and long-term in nature.

So, when you consider the question of whether winning matters, you must remember that every step along the way, every small victory or loss, is a practice in perseverance and is just as valuable as the victory. Winning is certainly a time to rejoice, but it is the journey, dedication to improvement at every turn, relationships made along the way, and the lessons you learn in winning and losing that make you who you are in the end.

As you pursue your own quest, on the mountain or in anything, keep in mind that the path is as enjoyable as the prize. Cherish every step in between, and you shall realize that the heart of victory is not necessarily in the line but in every step that led you to it.