Spectators, Losers, and Winners
There are three types of people involved in the game of life:
First, there are the Spectators. They are the majority who watch life happen as bystanders. They avoid the main arena for fear of being rejected, ridiculed, hurt, or defeated. They prefer not to make waves or get involved and would rather watch it happen on television. Most of all, the spectators in life fear winning. It’s not losing they fear most…it’s the possibility of winning! After all, winning carries the burden of responsibility and for setting a good example. That’s too much of an effort for most. And so they watch others do their thing.
Next, there is another large mass of humanity called the Losers. By Losers, we do not refer to the millions of hungry and destitute throughout the world. The Losers we are speaking of are the people in our abundant society who never win…for they would rather look like…dress like…have fun like…earn like…have a house like…act like…or be…someone else. You can always spot Losers by the way they envy or criticize others…after all, misery loves company. Most of all, you can spot Losers by the way they put themselves down.
Then, there are the Winners. These are the few who in a very natural, free-flowing way seem to get what they want from life. They put themselves together across the board – at work, at home, in the community, and in society. They set and achieve goals which benefit themselves and others.
The term “Winning” may sound phony to you. Too materialistic. Too full of A’s, or luck, or odds, or muscle-bound athletes. True Winning, however, is no more than one’s own personal pursuit of individual excellence. Winning is taking the talent or potential you were born with, and have since developed, and using it fully toward a goal or purpose that makes you happy.
From: The Psychology of Winning