| The sword tip waved within a few inches of my | | | | How do you play to win in business without losing |
| belly. I stood there, waiting, and then- clang- she | | | | your heart, and without hurting anyone? |
| rushed at me, forcing me back down the strip, | | | | Keys to Winning |
| and made the touch on me. I lost. | | | | "And you've just won what's behind the blue |
| I had beaten her easily for a few months- which | | | | door...." |
| is no surprise, because I used to fence | | | | Every competitive game defines how it's won. In |
| competitively. Although she was a novice, she | | | | fencing, it's the first to five touches, which is far |
| beat me on that touch. If it wasn't completely skill | | | | different than dueling, where it's the last person |
| (although there was that), and it wasn't | | | | left alive. Look at the environment of your game, |
| experience (I had years more than she did), what | | | | and define the goal so that no one needs to get |
| made the difference? | | | | hurt for you to achieve your win. |
| She had taken to heart my advice from the | | | | The guidebook discusses in detail how to do |
| week before: play to win. | | | | heart-centered goal planning, but right now, take |
| Play to win? Isn't that attitude for heedless, | | | | some time in your heart and see if you can find a |
| heartless business people? | | | | business goal that feels achievable, fun to work |
| Well, it depends on how you define 'winning.' Many | | | | towards, and simultaneously helps you and helps |
| of us think about winning as 'I win, you lose.' But, | | | | your customers? |
| if you go to your trusty dictionary (Ever notice | | | | Love's labor lost. |
| how often I go back to the dictionary? It's a | | | | If you are leery about playing to win, or have |
| treasure trove of understanding and wisdom.) a | | | | perhaps been raised to think that competition or |
| different story emerges. | | | | winning is 'bad' 'unlady-like' or some other thing, |
| Merriam-Webster explains the history of the word | | | | start by asking your heart: what will happen if I |
| 'win.' It comes from Old English and Old High | | | | win? What kind of assumptions does your mind |
| German meaning 'to struggle.' And, before that, | | | | hold about winning? Who won't like you, or reject |
| probably from Sanskrit meaning 'desire.' | | | | you if you win? |
| Desire. Yearning. Passion. Are those sounding a | | | | We take on all kinds of beliefs and patterns about |
| little more heart-centered to you? | | | | winning based on what happened earlier in life. You |
| I enjoy the heck out of playing to win. It's FUN | | | | can start to clear some of these beliefs by facing |
| watching my clients have breakthroughs- and the | | | | them, and letting yourself fully feel the emotions |
| results that go with them, as they get closer and | | | | and stories surrounding them. And then sitting in |
| closer to their goals. It's FUN watching my | | | | your heart and asking to see a deeper truth |
| business accelerate and grow financially. | | | | about them. |
| It's FUN to win. | | | | Take your time with this process. The deeper |
| Simply 'being in service' can become a little | | | | truth your heart shows you may take a little |
| mealy-mouthed after awhile. Playing to win adds | | | | while to surface. Let yourself be willing to be |
| some zing. | | | | surprised. |
| The deadly problem? Isolation. | | | | Winning really doesn't matter. |
| In fencing, it's a game. The swords have little | | | | In college I was competing in the New England |
| blunt buttons on their tips, and we wear | | | | championships for fencing. In my final bout, my |
| protective clothing. I play to win, because the | | | | opponent and I threw all that we had at each |
| environment is set up so that no one gets hurt. If | | | | other. At the final touch, I lost 4 to 5. |
| the swords were real, I wouldn't want to play to | | | | But, we both took off our masks in |
| win. I'd be setting my sword aside, and making | | | | astonishment- it had been magical, where we |
| every effort at peacemaking I could. | | | | were both in the zone. I still remember it as my |
| If the game is set-up so that no one gets hurt, | | | | all-time favorite bout. I truly didn't care whether I |
| and that winning doesn't mean life or death, then | | | | won or lost. But if I hadn't played to win, it |
| it becomes fun. Connect 'being in service' with | | | | wouldn't have been as magical. |
| 'playing to win,' whoo-wee boy! Look out there, | | | | Now, go out there and play to win. |
| here we come. | | | | Compassionately. |