Losers seek easy. Champions seek challenge. Challenge makes us stronger. Easy makes us weak. Seems simple but only a few people like the idea of fighting hard for what they want. Easy comes… well… easy. It is very unlikely for someone to develop muscles without doing the work. Gold needs fire to become pure and valuable. It is of little honor for me to fight someone bellow my level. I want to fight people from which I can learn my weaknesses. Winning is fun only if there is some competition.

My son’s basketball team was undefeated until the last game on Friday night. They played a very good team that was and remains undefeated. My son’s team looked like they were feeling very confident for this game. Not to mention that they didn’t practice that week. It didn’t matter because they defeated all the other teams by 20 points each time. My son spent most of the week playing video games and his guitar. Although he made 10 points in this game he was not happy because the team lost. The other team came out with all intention to win from the start while my son’s team are used to take it a little easier the first few minutes.

It was a close game most of it but after a few turnovers under pressure and a few unfair calls or no calls when they were needed the team was falling behind by the end. Frustration began to overcome the players. My son says that frustration is like a disease and it doesn’t matter what you tell yourself to get collected and focus it doesn’t go away and it begins spreading through each player. All you can do is learn from this experience and move on to the next. I’m sure it will be a different picture next time.

Challenge keeps us grounded and humble, but hungry to achieve, to prepare.  Preparation gives us the confidence to know we are ready to play. Awareness makes us strong, alert, and fierce. It is no secret that overconfidence is the pathway to defeat, to fall, to no longer fight hard from the start for what you want. Overconfidence makes us feel that victory is given. It is going to be another walk in the park until we are surprised by a strong contender seeking to win and to fight hard for the victory no matter the wins of the past. It is a new game. The board is back to zero. It is time to play.