Winning is never about giving up. Winning never denies how difficult the process is. Winning does not accept that the goal cannot be reached. Winning takes courage, finds strength, and realizes resolve in the middle of almost sure defeat. The question is quite simple; how badly do you, we, want to win?
I’m not sure which obstacle is the worst. Is it the kind of open face, take an opposite view no matter what, type of response that we find in politics? Is it the passive resistance that shows up when we least expect it, often with our friends and devious enemies? Is it the lack of support when we need it most from those we count on? It is as if evil, however one defines this force or idea, knows exactly what is going to put up the mountain in our run to the finish line.
As I look at individuals and team that win, especially those that continue to win over sustained periods of time, I find they have several things in common. First, they know their destination. The goal is very clear. Nobody on the team, not one fiber in his or her being, has any confusion on the destination. Second, the level of commitment is nothing short of relentless and at any price. Need someone to get from point A to point B? The dialogue is quite simple and the team cannot “be put off. ‘Come down! It's life or death for my son.’” (John 4.49) Third, the effort is a “total” thing. Nobody, no part of the whole, is exempt.
The fact is that winning in life is a choice that we face every day. Do we know our destination? If not we will not win. Do we want, beyond life itself, to get there? If not we will not win. Do we understand that it is not just the “I” part but the “we” that is crucial to the process? If not we will not win.
We can win. God is on our side; in fact God is our side.
