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Throughout the many pages of scores of motivational books, with the Bible being at the forefront, we are encouraged to "not give up." We are told to believe that we can come through any situation and be victorious in life. Ask yourself this question: Am I up-beat or am I beat-up?

Focus On Winning!

No matter what you are going through, set your focus on the winning side. Understand that winning is a process, not an event; because just as soon as one challenge is over, you'll be faced with another one.

We are constantly in the process of being victorious, or deciding to quit. Oh' Ugly word. You notice I didn't say we are in the process of winning or failing. No no. We are not designed to fail. We are designed to win, win, win!

I can hear someone now, "well, why do I always end up as lucky as the only man in a women's prison with a fist full of pardons? Because somewhere along the road you have developed a quitters mindset. Now, don't get mad at me, stay with me.

Quit Like A Bad Habit!

I didn't say, you always quit, or, that you always lose. But, there is a mind-set that can become so subtle, that it will cause us to focus on the fear of failure or quitting. If a person is plagued with this mind-set, he will waffle back and forth between the fear of failure and quitting constantly.

Why? Well, because neither one is really what his heart wants to do. He really doesn't want to choose to do either one. Down deep inside he knows he was created to win. But, circumstances seem to always get him barking up the wrong tree for a bone.

He knows he has the qualities to become every thing in life he desires to be. Audibly, he may say, "he's dumber than a bag of hammers." In his heart he knows that's not true.

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea!

But, there always seems to be a demon or some gremlin that wants to eat his lunch. Consequently, as time goes along, he develops a mind-set of quitting and failure. He just becomes beat-up!

Then there develops an emotion inside him that just says, "Whatever". And, then the baptism of fire in his belly burns out like day old ashes. Once this happens, the series of failures and times of quitting become every day occurrences till you finally hear him saying, "Frankly Scarlet, I don't give a da**."

He becomes very unhappy with himself but doesn't know how to turn it around. So, his life becomes a cycle of ups and downs, mostly downs. Without that fire of desire, he loses his passion. Without a passion, he has no focus, goal, or reason to live.

Pull Yourself Up By The Boot Straps!

At one time or another we are all faced with obstacles and challenges that look like they're going to bust our chops. The unfortunate thing is; usually life will not turn the circumstances around on its own.

Therefore, we can sometimes find ourselves on the back side of the desert for long periods of time before something happens to turn the tide. And, usually the tide turns only when we take the initiative and rid ourselves of the fear of failure and that quitting mind-set.

Failure and quitting are not options for us. Let me qualify something here and now. Listen to this closely. Failure is not an event that kills the project and then all our efforts cease. Failure is an attitude. That is why we can be failing even before the result is in.

Now That's What I Call Jury Rigged!

An example: Failure is like being convicted by a jury before they have reached a verdict. That can't happen. But, we conduct our affairs like that's exactly what is happening. We walk like we are failing, we talk like we are failing, and we even look like we are failing. So, what happens? Yep, you guessed it.

Winning is also an attitude. Our attitude should always be; "no matter what happens, I win!" Did you know, and get this too; you can walk like you're winning, you can talk like you're winning, and you can look like you're winning the whole time you're waiting on your victory? And, would you like to know what happens if you do? Yep, you guessed it.

The point is this: The results follow the prevalent attitude; not the other way around. The results follow whatever attitude is dominant. Winning results follow a winning attitude. Failing results follow a failing attitude.

Take A Licking And Keep On Ticking!

Does that mean that everything always happens the way I want it too. No of course not. But, listen to this; don't ever develop the attitude that says; "this must go the way I planned or it is considered a failure." No, no, no!

Consider your own life. There will be many things that did not turn out the way you wanted and planned, but in the end, they still were the best thing for you at the time.

I heard many stories of people that were supposed to be at work at the World Trade Center on 9/11. But, something happened, that they thought was "terrible" at the moment, but that "terrible" event caused them to miss work that day. Ummm... Was that a failure? I don't think so!

The point is this: No matter what happens, we play till I win! We must keep playing. We are not playing a nine inning ball game here. This is life. Three strikes do not mean you are out. It's my ball, it's my glove, it's my bat, I'm the umpire and we play till I win!

Here's The Real Deal!

It's an attitude! Say that ten times! Winning is an attitude. And, get this; who says when the jury brings the verdict in that I have to accept it if I don't like it? Whom? Remember this is life.

There is no time limit for our circumstances except for death. And unfortunately, death is terminal. So, as long as we have breath of life in our body, we have the opportunity to win and ignore the option of quitting. We may not like the looooong time it takes, but there is no clock running out on us.

Richard Vegas ©