How do you Win or Lose?

On the day of the UK election 2015 we take a light and inspirational look at winning and losing and how to best prepare oneself for the outcome.

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.

Lyndon B. Johnson

The question on everyone’s mind is ‘Who will be taking those seats around the country and around the table?’ This as yet is undetermined, but for those who don’t make it to the winners’ enclosure – will they ask of themselves ‘could I have done more?’ Is it enough to give 100% of yourself? Can you ask more? Well, technically yes according to Economist Stephen Shmanske, ‘It's all about defining what counts as 100% effort. Let's say "100%" is the maximum amount of effort that can be consistently sustained. With this benchmark, it's obviously possible to give less than 100%. But it's also possible to give more. All you have to do is put forth an effort that can only be sustained inconsistently, for short periods of time. In other words, you're overclocking’. 

The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.

Vince Lombardi

Is there a price to be paid for being in the race and winning?  Well you’ve won so that’s what it was all about – now to work! Onward and upward etc.  But what price failure? Well it’s ‘gonna be emotional’ – what a let-down, the dashing of dreams, the ‘what ifs’. However there is a great body of work out there to support failure as part of a process, so many high achievers cite failure as one of the things that helped shape them. There are thousands of quotes on the internet about failure being as important as winning.  Whose to judge?  But certainly how one has fought the battle must have an impact not only on us but those around us.  

Has this election been a fair fight? Certain election hopefuls and their supporters will shout ‘no!’ Surely it is all about the win, yes?....No? Fans of the recent American TV series, House of Cards will know just what it has taken for Francis Underwood to reach the No.1 position.  Sometimes it almost feels too worryingly real to watch. The question I find myself asking is ‘How does he sleep at night?’ ‘How can he live with himself?’  I haven’t quite finished the box set but I imagine him saying ‘whatever it takes’. 

Whoever said, 'It's not whether you win or lose that counts,' probably lost.

Martina Navratilova

So tomorrow will be D-Day for these hopefuls, the energy that has carried them through will now find a new outlet, fear. ‘Did I/we do enough?’ Well should things not go well, there’s always next time and life does go on.

Win or lose, we go shopping after the election.

Imelda Marcos

 Author: Fiona Dinning-Cole – Comms & Content Manager

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