you give yourself permission to stop and regroup without the need for judgment. So I did. I dragged myself to bed and the next day, I completed the drawers quickly and from a much better perspective. And life is so often just that way. You move forward, exerting real effort but somehow your progress is hard to gauge. Eventually you get to a place, like the top of a hill you couldn't see, and from there, things get easier or pick up speed or both. For me, there was no great fanfare when I finally finished assembling the chest. Because by definition, winning is a process rather than a point in time. There was just that delicious aftertaste of having finished the jI loved thinking about how to answer that and about how it feels to really win at life. Well, if you've reading my other articles, you’ve probably figured out by now that I've got a thing for words. In fact, I’m a self-confessed word nerd. So, you can bet that when it came time write this article that, yes, I looked up the verb "to win". And what I found truly surprised me.

It seems that the emphasis on winning is everywhere. And it's easy to believe that winning is everything. Even the idea of the win seems to suggest that what's most important is getting to the grand finale and that your destination IS your success. But did you know that the word "win" was not used to convey victory until the 19th century? So, what does it really mean to win? The original definition is ‘to struggle or strive for’. So, the more you do, the more you actually win. And by doing more, I’m not talking about efficiency, but about consistency.

Here's a little story to illustrate my point. A few months ago, I bought a 1940s bungalow that's just screaming for some TLC. So, in the process of getting settled, I went to Target and bought this really cute little set of drawers. At about nine o'clock, one night, I thought that I'd take an hour to assemble the drawers, and then get to sleep at a reasonable time. It was curious that the box said it was a heavy piece of furniture that required two people, but it only stood about 35 inches high by a foot deep once assembled. Well, I’m sure you can guess where this is going...

By one o'clock in the morning, it still wasn't done. I kid you not, there were 12 different bags of hardware, and none of them contained less than 10 pieces. So there I was, exasperated and blurry eyed. One of the holes hadn't been bored out and one of the drawer rails had split off during shipping.

I’m sure you can just imagine me there with my power tools, wood glue and clamps as I realized that the second person required by the instructions was only necessary to prevent me from intentionally taking myself out with a dull drill bit. The thing was that while the little chest of drawers was almost done, I was still questioning why I'd started this thing and how I could once again delude myself into believing it was a quick project.

So, back to the question "How do you know when you're winning?" And keep in mind that the question is not IF you’re winning, but WHEN. Well, if to win is to struggle or strive then, by all means, I was definitely winning. The point is that I don't think you really know exactly when you win in most cases. You just keep plodding ahead, step by necessary step, and when you simply can't go on, you give yourself permission to stop and regroup without the need for judgment. So I did. I dragged myself to bed and the next day, I completed the drawers quickly and from a much better perspective. And life is so often just that way. You move forward, exerting real effort but somehow your progress is hard to gauge. Eventually you get to a place, like the top of a hill you couldn't see, and from there, things get easier or pick up speed or both. For me, there was no great fanfare when I finally finished assembling the chest. Because by definition, winning is a process rather than a point in time. There was just that delicious aftertaste of having finished the jo

as not used to convey victory until the 19th century? So, what does it really mean to win? The original definition is ‘to struggle or strive for’. So, the more you do, the more you actually win. And by doing more, I’m not talking about efficiency, but about consistency.

Here's a little story to illustrate my point. A few months ago, I bought a 1940s bungalow that's just screaming for some TLC. So, in the process of getting settled, I went to Target and bought this really cute little set of drawers. At about nine o'clock, one night, I thought that I'd take an hour to assemble the drawers, and then get to sleep at a reasonable time. It was curious that the box said it was a heavy piece of furniture that required two people, but it only stood about 35 inches high by a foot deep once assembled. Well, I’m sure you can guess where this is going...

By one o'clock in the morning, it still wasn't done. I kid you not, there were 12 different bags of hardware, and none of them contained less than 10 pieces. So there I was, exasperated and blurry eyed. One of the holes hadn't been bored out and one of the drawer rails had split off during shipping.

I’m sure you can just imagine me there with my power tools, wood glue and clamps as I realized that the second person required by the instructions was only necessary to prevent me from intentionally taking myself out with a dull drill bit. The thing was that while the little chest of drawers was almost done, I was still questioning why I'd started this thing and how I could once again delude myself into believing it was a quick project.

So, back to the question "How do you know when you're winning?" And keep in mind that the question is not IF you’re winning, but WHEN. Well, if to win is to struggle or strive then, by all means, I was definitely winning. The point is that I don't think you really know exactly when you win in most cases. You just keep plodding ahead, step by necessary step, and when you simply can't go on, you give yourself permission to stop and regroup without the need for judgment. So I did. I dragged myself to bed and the next day, I completed the drawers quickly and from a much better perspective. And life is so often just that way. You move forward, exerting real effort but somehow your progress is hard to gauge. Eventually you get to a place, like the top of a hill you couldn't see, and from there, things get easier or pick up speed or both. For me, there was no great fanfare when I finally finished assembling the chest. Because by definition, winning is a process rather than a point in time. There was just that delicious aftertaste of having finished the j

x said it was a heavy piece of furniture that required two people, but it only stood about 35 inches high by a foot deep once assembled. Well, I’m sure you can guess where this is going...

By one o'clock in the morning, it still wasn't done. I kid you not, there were 12 different bags of hardware, and none of them contained less than 10 pieces. So there I was, exasperated and blurry eyed. One of the holes hadn't been bored out and one of the drawer rails had split off during shipping.

I’m sure you can just imagine me there with my power tools, wood glue and clamps as I realized that the second person required by the instructions was only necessary to prevent me from intentionally taking myself out with a dull drill bit. The thing was that while the little chest of drawers was almost done, I was still questioning why I'd started this thing and how I could once again delude myself into believing it was a quick project.

So, back to the question "How do you know when you're winning?" And keep in mind that the question is not IF you’re winning, but WHEN. Well, if to win is to struggle or strive then, by all means, I was definitely winning. The point is that I don't think you really know exactly when you win in most cases. You just keep plodding ahead, step by necessary step, and when you simply can't go on, you give yourself permission to stop and regroup without the need for judgment. So I did. I dragged myself to bed and the next day, I completed the drawers quickly and from a much better perspective. And life is so often just that way. You move forward, exerting real effort but somehow your progress is hard to gauge. Eventually you get to a place, like the top of a hill you couldn't see, and from there, things get easier or pick up speed or both. For me, there was no great fanfare when I finally finished assembling the chest. Because by definition, winning is a process rather than a point in time. There was just that delicious aftertaste of having finished the j

prevent me from intentionally taking myself out with a dull drill bit. The thing was that while the little chest of drawers was almost done, I was still questioning why I'd started this thing and how I could once again delude myself into believing it was a quick project.

So, back to the question "How do you know when you're winning?" And keep in mind that the question is not IF you’re winning, but WHEN. Well, if to win is to struggle or strive then, by all means, I was definitely winning. The point is that I don't think you really know exactly when you win in most cases. You just keep plodding ahead, step by necessary step, and when you simply can't go on, you give yourself permission to stop and regroup without the need for judgment. So I did. I dragged myself to bed and the next day, I completed the drawers quickly and from a much better perspective. And life is so often just that way. You move forward, exerting real effort but somehow your progress is hard to gauge. Eventually you get to a place, like the top of a hill you couldn't see, and from there, things get easier or pick up speed or both. For me, there was no great fanfare when I finally finished assembling the chest. Because by definition, winning is a process rather than a point in time. There was just that delicious aftertaste of having finished the j

you give yourself permission to stop and regroup without the need for judgment. So I did. I dragged myself to bed and the next day, I completed the drawers quickly and from a much better perspective. And life is so often just that way. You move forward, exerting real effort but somehow your progress is hard to gauge. Eventually you get to a place, like the top of a hill you couldn't see, and from there, things get easier or pick up speed or both. For me, there was no great fanfare when I finally finished assembling the chest. Because by definition, winning is a process rather than a point in time. There was just that delicious aftertaste of having finished the job and knowing the struggle was over. The real reward is in the closure for completion completes me completely.

Just remember, when you're really trying, the win is guaranteed because you are always learning, evolving your strategy and getting closer. To strive is to win and to be a winner is to be successful and prosperous. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, "A man is a method, a progressive arrangement, a selecting principal, gathering his like unto him wherever he goes. What you are comes to you."

Until next time, I leave you with abundant peace.

Need 5 minutes of Inspiration? Watch The Peace Movie at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHyQRHLIclk