Stick With the Winners

One of my very first lessons as an emerging young adult was "Stick With The Winners".  Not that now as a middle aged woman I think in terms of who is who, who is a winner, compared to losers.  To me I value people really for where they are at, what area in life they are pursuing etc, each as an individual.  Though it was and is a great message to follow, to be amongst people that even wanted to win, had a winning mindset and spirit, or who were a cut above the rest "as they say"; it really did and does serve me well in my life with my career as well as home, my own spirit and my own achievements. The person who said it was right and I did not mind sticking with the winners. 

Sticking with the winners to me, is not a snobby way of thinking about people and the different values they hold or persona they put out there.  It is more about not giving up, not letting yourself move forward by the "I CAN'T attitude, or as I have heard the phrase "small thinking".  Personally I enjoy spending time with people that say I CAN, I WILL-somehow and I WILL FIND OUT HOW.  I really understand when someone wants something so bad they can't stop thinking about it, their dream and when my circle converses about their go getter attitude, what they want and how they continue to go after it, even if there are a few or many "I Cant's"  I get that.  They are striving and in turn no matter if they are still chasing their dream or it is thriving, the "Want it Bad Enough" attitude is what resonates with me and I gravitate towards those and of course others.  It is admiral to me to see people fail, start again, maybe fail in a way, fall flat off their feet.  When they pick themselves up again, I applaud that and admire the conviction and determination.  They are the one's who have seen defeat, time and time again but continue on the road perhaps less traveled and beyond, really relying only on themselves and their high belief in who they are and the trust in themselves, others and their trueness to taste a dream in the palm of their hand.  One time I am sure they may have thought of themselves as a loser vs. a winner. 

In reality to me, people loose, but as long as they have a strong belief and standards people are not, nor ever will be "losers".  It takes a lot of sacrifice to go after your what you want, day in and out, living, breathing and believing, while going without, having less so that day will come where you can have more-whatever MORE is to you....I am sure sometimes perhaps eating less, driving less, taking a bus to save on expenses and so on.  Until one day instead of the Underdog, you become TOP DOG. 

HOW then, do people respond to your success??  Do they relish in it just like you, do they think of you gloating around telling of your success, do they stick by you and enjoy your success as well, being somewhat of a cheer leader, routing for you even roaring for you?  The ones who don't take pride along with you, never saw what the sacrifice was like, how much you had to sacrifice, go without, sometimes perhaps even eating for a day or even two days, eating Kraft Dinner as if it was gourmet.

The trick is in my estimation is to have the ones that you hold dear, the ones that routed for the Underdog and still stand beside you when you have made it to Top Dog status close.  They are the ones that love watching you win, cheer you on, and win right along side you.  They too have their own winnings to win after and together and as the winning circle goes along, you can teach each other the do's and dont's of how to win as well as the many ways to wind and step away from the Underdog status.  My very good friend has a cute boutique in our town, I think of her as we sometimes hash it out and draw energy from one another, it is a very supportive relationship, without jelousy's or mean hearts. 

I believe if I am routing for an Underdog so to speak then it is my duty as a friend to also cheer when they have become Top Dog, I would believe that maybe it was partially due to my cheers that that person of success has got there in the first place.  Gloating, well of course an Underdog type who made it all the way up the ladder to Top Dog is going to gloat, they have traveled a long treturous road, scraping knees along the way, having blisters along the way, sore hands, sore feet, tired somedays, ill possibly.  Their success should be celebrated.  Too many people walk away after the winnings begin, turn their back, walks away.  What the cheerers do not understand is that they ARE the REASON they are their in the first place and without them they would not even come close to where they wanted to be.  The now winners are wanting to enjoy life FINALLY with their supporters, they want to enjoy and gloat together as they are just as much a part of their success as them -themselves.  Then the

supporters of the Underdogs don't get the chance to say way to go, and see their relationship flourish as the dragged out winners all they want to say is THANK YOU.