Participant or Winner

Which One Were You?

… they think that they are special because they got a participation trophy, and they think they won!

So were you a participant or a winner?

For the most part thinking like this has been associated with the Gen Y, or Millennials, who were born between 1980 and 1994.  But in reality, it has been around for a long time, possibly the first mention of their use was in 1922:  https://slate.com/culture/2019/04/participation-trophy-history-world-war-i.html  “If you had fun you won” was inscribed on the trophy.  This inscription alone should’ve set off loud warning bells in one’s head “I don’t want only to have fun, I want to be the best, if only for that moment or that day!”  That’s Fun, and that’s a success!

Learning to achieve success through hard work, preparation, and training is the lesson that needs to be taught and learned.  The fact that there will eventually always be someone bigger, faster, stronger, or more naturally gifted, etc. is also part of this lesson; it’s called “LIFE” or the “LAW OF THE JUNGLE.” Deal with it; it’ll always be a part of this existence we call living!

Accepting the results and taking the experience provided and learn from it, be more prepared than the other competitors the next time.  Be better conditioned, physically, and emotionally.  This thinking is called motivation!  Get motivated, losing should create a desire to rise and become better for the next challenge, the next event, or the next steps in life.

An entire Generations of children and young adults were encouraged to be okay with receiving participation trophies; they think that they are special because they got a participation trophy, and they think they won!  Well, here’s the harsh reality; you didn’t win you only participated, and by the way, there is a BIG Difference.  https://bigthink.com/culture-religion/participation-trophy-and-child-development