Meet the Winners!

4 days ago
3 min read

A good friend posted the above meme recently, and while I initially had no reaction, it began to bug me.

Sure, let’s all sit with “winners”! Who wouldn’t want to? By association or osmosis or some other cosmic

phenomenon, we can all become winners, too!

But stop. Before jumping to the cool kids table....have you been to a high school reunion lately? Who are the true winners in life? You know, those worthwhile souls who make a lasting impression on us and our existence?

Certainly not the politicos. who move into professions, industries and organizations, taking them over for their own personal gain and power.

It’s not the C-suite chiefs with their allure of success and promises to bring everyone along with them....until they move on to their next conquest.

And not the marketers who tell us anything we want to hear to draw us in so they can assess how we can help them meet their bottom line.

Don't get me started on the gamers who see everyone and everything as competition they need to beat so that they can continue to level-up.

Nor the opportunists, who tout their worth and achievements in magical terms but won’t lead with their day job title when introducing themselves.

Spare me the glory seekers, forever chasing awards, advancements and compensation in an endless attempt to validate their worth.

And let's avoid altogether the climbers, who scale their ascent on the backs of the rest of us, leaving a trail of disasters behind them without giving it a second thought.

I mean….come on….who doesn't see them coming a mile away? They cannibalize one another and leave the rest of us starving for:

- connection

- leadership

- hope

From my early years through retirement, life has been so much more happy, healthy and satisfying not getting tangled up with these characters....

Me? Here are the winners I choose to sit with again & again:

The romantics, who love life, seeing it as an adventure to share with others who are likeminded in their passion for making the most of each day.

The thinkers, who thrive gnawing away at persistent questions and problems, certain that there are answers and determined to figure them out.

The doers, who keep their focus on the things they are working to accomplish, following through to cross the finish line.

The idealists, who refuse to accept the way things have always been or been done, aspiring to build a better world, regardless of the obstacles.

The nurturers, who recognize the gifts they find in others and instinctively give of their time and talents to foster and sustain them.

The dreamers, who see new ways forward free of the constraints that hold so many of us back when the realities of this world wear us down.

The self-starters, who take charge of what’s in their purview, hold themselves accountable, and strive to have impact and make a difference.

The believers, who understand they are part of something bigger, live their lives in alignment with those beliefs, and elevate our common humanity in the process.