Losing Has It's Advantages

"Yes, the journey s****(stinks) Rusty, but it's a part of getting to the destination."
- Clark Griswold

In the original 1983 film Vacation, Clark Griswold and his family are on a road trip from Chicago to Wally World Amusement Park in California. Along their way they run into many roadblocks and mishaps that hinder them from reaching their destination, which has the kids Rusty and Audrey question their dad on why they are still traveling when they should just throw in the towel and return home.

Just this week, Pittsburgh Steelers all-pro football player James Harrison made headlines when he returned his kid's participation trophies. His children are involved in sports and they received trophies just for participating in their games.

For all the sports I played  as a kid growing up, it would take an 18 wheeler to hold all my trophies for participating.

It is unfortunate that organized sports today gives out trophies to all children who participate, but that is the society we live in today. What they are saying is you deserve a prize just for showing up.
That would be like a child getting a D on a test and yet getting a reward just for taking the test.

What does any of this teach our children? Yet, this is the culture we have created for our future generations. A future that says all you have to do is show up for work to get paid. A future that says forget learning, all you have to do is show up to school and you will pass.

Ronda Rousey, a UFC Fighter and champion of the world recently stated,

"Everyone thinks I have this perfect, undefeated record, but they don't see all the failures it took to get to this point."

Losing builds character.

Losing gives you that drive to get better in order to excel.

Losing gives you that drive to want to learn more in order to achieve.

Losing it what gives you that drive to win.

Losing has it's advantages.

My only disclaimer to participating awards would be Special Olympics, for obvious reasons.
Heck, we could learn a lot just from those kids!