Back on Track

If the last article (A Pleasure - Pain Principle - July 2005) seems incomplete, it is.  My pen stopped right there and I couldn't write another word until I looked at this concept of playing not to lose and playing to win as it was unfolding in my life.  The concept came to me earlier that day while journaling and I never could have imagined the impact it would have on my life.

"In this game of Life, are you playing to win or not to lose?" hit me like a ton of bricks smack dab in the middle of my stomach.  I truly feel like I had my wind knocked out.  As I looked more closely at the question I clearly saw the answer I did not like - I definitely was playing not to lose.  Ouch!  Double Ouch!  That really hurt.

I began to see all the many ways I was playing Life safe and creating excuses so I could "wait until ..."  I let the idea of waiting for everything to be "just right" keep me from exploring and trying at all.  I couldn't believe this was me I was talking about!  This was a me I didn't desire to be!

After mucking about in this guck for a couple of days the time had come for me to step up and play to win.  I'm not sure if I'm clear on the entirety of what winning means for me, but I do know I will be so much further ahead of where I would be if I tried only not to lose.  And the funny thing is - what I could possibly lose pales in comparison to what I intuitively know is there for me to win.

The confirmation for me comes in having the seemingly impossible become a reality in less than a month after choosing to win.  Watching everything fall into place with such ease and flow was incredibly beautiful.  While others still don't believe it could have happened, I know, and it did.

Do you connect with this?  What wisdom do you want to add? What questions come to mind?  How do you see it differently?

Share your wisdom to the discussion on Back On Track.