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A Will To Win



While our world is a bit off kilter, it can be tempting to put your head down, stay under the radar, and wait for the craziness to pass.


If you follow high school, college, or professional sports you know sometimes your team wins and sometimes they don’t. A hard-fought game, where players leave everything they have on the field is exciting, regardless of the outcome. Then there are the games where it seems one of the team is playing all-out to not lose.


Today, take a fresh look around you. What opportunities are you missing out on for your business by playing to not lose rather than playing to win?

There are a lot of analogies between sports and business. Whether you are playing a team-sport or the game of business you need:

  • A Plan

  • Rules to follow

  • A scoreboard

  • Teamwork

  • Strong leadership

  • Clearly define expectations for each position

  • Trust in your teammates

  • A coach

  • Continuous growth

  • Ability to adjust on the field

  • To have some fun

This is not a complete list, but you get the idea. You also need more than a desire to not lose, you need a Will-to-Win. It takes a strong coach and regular practice to pull all these necessities together and get to that winning mindset.


Are you playing to win, or are you playing to not lose?

To win in business you need to see into the future. Where will your business be in 3 years? Yes, things around us are changing quickly and nothing is guaranteed. Well, one thing is guaranteed – if you do not plan to win, you will not win.

Just getting by in your business is not enough. If you are not proactively building, you are falling behind. There are always uncertainties in business. And 2020 has thrown a lot of new ones at all of us. Now more than ever it is important to have a plan, and a will to win.

Those businesses you have watched succeed and wondered, “How did they do that so quickly?” have one of two usual scenarios:


1. It really is just luck and you can count on them being gone in less than 5 years unless something changes for them quickly. 80% of businesses close in the first 5 years, 80% of those that survive that are gone in the next 5 years.

2. It has not happened as quickly as you think. That overnight success has likely been years in development; development of the team, the business model, and personal development for the leaders.

No business is successful in the long-term just by chance. It is not a magic wand, or a secret bank account, it is not one all-star player, and it is not fortune telling. It is being prepared, measuring results, looking ahead, and having the willingness to do the tough stuff.


The Ball is in Your Court


A few of the tough-stuff questions to ask yourself right now:


1. Are you keeping score? How has the chaos of 2020 impacted your clients, your team, your business results?

2. How can you adjust on the field? What decisions need to be made in your business to respond to the current environment?

3. What’s the plan now? What choices need to be considered to get ahead of what may be coming your way?

4. Are team positions clearly defined? Does everyone on the team know the current rules of the game?

5. Is there strong leadership? As the leader of your team, are you modeling a willingness to do what needs to be done, even the tough stuff?


No one goes into business to lose. Do what you need to do now to keep winning. Be willing to do what needs to be done, even when it isn’t easy. Everyone has a role to play in the success of your business, success of our communities, and the success of our country.


A coach can help you pull it all together. If you have the willingness to win, schedule your complementary strategy session call today.



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