The Winner Is…Not Me!
We’ve all heard the famous saying, “It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” While I believe that to be mostly true, it’s somewhat binary. So either you win or you lose? How about what’s in between?
This has been on my mind lately as I’ve been reflecting on my business, and life in general. (Call it a mid-life crisis if you must, but I prefer to look at it as a regular check-in with myself.) As an entrepreneur, parent, friend and partner, I like to regularly assess and take stock of my accomplishments as well as see where I can do better. It’s like my very own personal report card.
It came to mind specifically while I was completing a form for a small business grant and it asked if we had won any awards. Turns out I’ve never won any! Not a single one. OK, I did win a tennis award when I was 10 years old at camp (what’s funny about that is that I don’t think I’ve played tennis since). And I think I remember that because it’s the only tangible award I recall winning.
I mean I was on honour rolls and dean’s lists, but in my career I’ve never been acknowledged “officially” for my entrepreneurial endeavours. No “Top 30 Under 30,” “40 Under 40,” etc. (Too bad there’s not a category for “Over 40 who act 25.”)
But in the words of one of my all-time heroes, Bill Murray, in one of my all-time favourite films (Meatballs), “It just doesn’t matter.”
Is this where I’m supposed to say that it’s an honour to be nominated? Perhaps. But more so, it’s an honour just to receive the reward. Not the award.
When we’re pitted against our peers to determine who’s the best or brightest, it can be a good exercise in challenging yourself to do more, try harder, and aim higher. But just like when we scroll Instagram, we’re only measuring on what we see. And there’s so much more to everyone’s story.
Yet when we challenge ourselves, we always win. Because we live (and love) more, give more and learn more. And since we’re the only ones who see our own full picture, not only are we the best judge, we’re the only judge that really matters.
So to hell with the awards! I’ve earned so many rewards through my businesses, friendships, parenting and partnering that are worth more than any trophy (though I wouldn’t mind some of that grant money). So I guess you could say I win.