What It Means to Lose

Today, I am a loser.

It’s a hard thing to admit, but there you have it.

There are times when you are simply forced to face the fact that there are some things you cannot control. And it has nothing to do with fate or destiny. I really don’t believe in either. We all have free will – we choose our own path and our desired outcome. But even then, it may not be the outcome we had intended. In fact, it may be an outcome we had no desire for at all.

And so, today, I’m feeling it.

I am a loser.

Life has a strange way of throwing twists and turns at you when you least expect it. You can plan, you can reason, you can predict, and you can pose as many “what ifs” as you’d like. A good portion of these will actually help you achieve success in many of the things you put your attentions toward. It’s smart. It’s wisdom. It’s sage advice. And even then, you can’t guarantee the win. You can’t know for sure that you will succeed. And that is probably one of the most infuriating things about our existence. The fact that, despite our best efforts, we are doomed to fail. Whether it be your personal life, a project you’re working on, or at work. At some point, we all fail. And there is no escaping it.

Why?!

My friends, I am a loser. And there is no escaping it.

But…

In all honesty, this isn’t the first time I’ve felt like this. It won’t be the last either.

The truth of the matter is that we must all face that as a reality. This is simply a part of our being. Yes, we will fail. But with every failure comes a lesson. Every time we struggle, we grow. When we are knocked down, we are forced to find our way back on our feet.

The real trick is meeting failure head-on, driving through it, and flipping it the middle finger on your way past with a smile on your face. It may sound hard or impossible, but you can do it. I know you can.

It doesn’t matter if you have the finest training, an infinite amount of plans, and the best of intentions. You may still not come out on top.

And that’s ok.

There’s a man who once said that “it is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.”

There will be other days and other battles to fight. Try not to dwell on the ones that go poorly.

Keep going.