As we welcome in 2010, we are encouraged to focus on the process of making success part of our vocabulary. However, some persons consider "success" as winning FIRST PLACE in all areas of competition. As millions watch the various Bowl games in these few weeks after the regular season of football, the emphasis seems to recognize the "winning score" as the ONLY barometer of measuring success. There will be only ONE team recognized by the end of the Bowl games as the National Champion. This attitude of being able to "win at any cost" has multiple dimensions and implications. The lost ingredient of competition in any endeavor in life proves that the "unknown" is often highlighted many years later in the "real world of life competitions." Achievement Ladder Enthusiasts have long understood that the PROCESS in extremely important in BUILDING a positive attitude toward the long-term effects of a "winning attitude."
Many years ago at a high school where my professional services were requested, my opportunity to learn what the "PROCESS" means in developing positive competitive achievements encouraged me to listen to the participants and to encourage long-term results in the process. With a young group of high school tenth graders and ninth graders, my goal was to build a long-term emphasis on learning the various aspects of competitive track and field activities. With some knowledge of running events and minimum experience with field events, my role as coach was to offer all participants the chance and the choice of the various track and field activities. The necessary warmups and stretching and mental preparations for a young track and field team was necessary to advance to the next level. In my first year as coach, our record was no wins and many losses in dual and triangular meets. However, the focus was to IMPROVE on each opportunity their timings, their pacing, their measuring, and their general positive attitude to GROW. These statistics were shared with their fellow classmates after each track and field meet. The PROGRESSION was obvious, and the TEAM was improving its performance as a whole during that first season. In the next season with the assistance of a more qualified co-coach, the TEAM broke EIGHT (8) school records and tied for League Championship at the end of the second season. In the third season, many of these seniors accomplished many endeavors including the League Championship and the determination to be patient in the process and to be supportive of all of their TEAM MEMBERS. Yes, some seniors and juniors qualifed for the Regional and State Track and Field Events. Often, these seniors would have asked to be released from participation on the Track and Field Team because of a job, etc.
The positive commitment to make a difference made these ACHIEVEMENT LADDER ENTHUSIASTS to learn the value of process of building toward lifelong learning goals. These athletes climbed up and down the LADDER OF ACHIEVEMENT over those three years with patience, with respect, with integrity, with honest goals and values, and with desire, dedication, and determination to follow through on any positive competitive opportunity in life.
The final score of any competitive event does reflect a number for statistics; but the positive attitude to be gained from the PROCESS of positive competition is numberless and priceless. The next time that you may have the opportunity to participate in a positive competitive event no matter what the sport or the activity consider the chance to GROW in moving up and down the LADDER OF ACHIEVEMENT with the positive thrust of "I DID IT OR WE DID IT."
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