Winning
Some hundred and twenty million Americans watched the Super Bowl today. It was an exceptionally entertaining game. During the game a 30 second commercial cost more than five million dollars. The numbers seem obscene to me. I really try to be positive when I am sharing this blog. However, when I hear about school teachers who have to reach into their own pockets to buy supplies for their students; I get upset. The average teacher’s salary in the US is $47,000. The average National Football League salary is 1.8 million. Which is about forty times a teachers wage!
I am an avid sports fan. I have watched thousands of sporting contests over my lifetime. I enjoy the games. I do not begrudge the players making a lot of money doing what they love. I am disappointed with a society that so underpays educators. Education is vital to the world. Many of our problems could be solved if enough people were educated to the degree that they could be self sufficient.
At the game today there will be a winner and a loser. The winners will be long remembered and the losing team is often forgotten. When fans interact with each other about any sport they will ask “who won the game?” It is clear to me that if you have dedicated your life to your art or craft; you are a winner. It doesn’t matter if they ever print your name on some trophy.
To win at life is to get into the game. It is not to sit in the bleachers and watch from afar. Sometimes folks, don’t try very hard because they don’t want to lose. Once again, in sports, those athletes who participate lose more often then they win. I love tennis and enjoy watching Roger Federer play. He has won twenty grand slam titles in some fifteen years. This is the greatest achievement in men’s tennis. It also means, Federer has lost about two thirds of the times he played in those events. Many of us who have been successful only one third of the time would feel like we failed.
My thought tonight is winning is doing or doing is winning. When we attempt to create some results in life; just the attempt is a success. We don’t have to be famous or wealthy or garner awards or rewards. We only have to take action. Find something you love and give it all you’ve got! From my winning heart to yours, Thomas