Vince Lombardi famously said, “winning isn’t everything it’s the only thing” or some variation on that theme. Do you think it’s true? I suspect the Denver Broncos think it is. It is true that typically, the runner up isn’t even remembered.

Sometimes our instincts are to minimize the value of winning. “It’s ok if we don’t win” or “I’ll land the next big client” – but is it really just a justification? We all lose from time to time in our careers. So, it must be okay to lose.

But is it okay to convince ourselves that it is okay? I think it may be mediocre, and from what I’ve seen, often has the effect of undermining the ability to give 100%. NOTE: For those of you that are, right now as you read this, minimizing losing, I ask you to put aside the various exceptions just for now. For instance, the person who wins The Voice isn’t often the one that achieves the most fame. OR, the business that wins the big deal with Walmart but has such low margins that they cannot afford to fulfill the orders. More often, big wins create superstars, superpowers, new leaders, life changing events, and most importantly momentum.

The fact is that although we WILL “get ‘em next time,” and yes our businesses will survive, and yes life goes on, finding ways to change course and win more often is much better than spending time convincing ourselves that losing is okay.