Winning is the only option

Written by Ronnie Teasdale

A long time ago I was sitting in a room. I was with my mother, waiting for my younger sisters to get done with ballet practice.

I remember picking up a book out of boredom. And it was full of sentences that explained the difference between a winner and a loser. I do not remember any of the sentences word for word,… but it was stuff like:

“A loser looks at a mistake as a failure, a winner looks at a mistake as an opportunity to learn.”

There was just sentence after sentence like the one above. Some of them were obvious to me, but a lot was stuff I have never thought about before.

I remember I was very young then (young enough that I had to sit right by my mother’s side while my sister’s were practicing). But I think then it was ingrained in my head that it is much better to win than to lose. And it is ok to think I am the best at everything, or at least strive for it, because that is what winners do. That long ago experience that probably lasted a couple of minutes has defined how I look at the world. Winning is what I do.

I grew up playing hockey (for over 20 years). Every year we would do about 5 tournaments. And every year I would gain about 5 new trophies. My brother and I’s room was stacked with at least 40-50 trophies each by the time we got to high school age and “they” quit giving out trophies.

I have been on national championship teams. And when they started letting us fight in games, I was a hell of a fighter.

Everything I do I think I can beat everyone. Sometimes it is very apparent I cannot.
I obviously do not technically win at everything I do. But I feel like if I look back at my past I feel like thats all I can remember. And that winning is all I can look forward to also. At every competition I am absolutely convinced I will come out on top. Some I do and some I don’t. But even when I do not get first place, something inside me feels like I did in some way or another. Losing is impossible!

There was a time about 3-4 years ago. It was right after I moved to California.

-the 10 grand I saved up to move here was gone
-I just got into a real bad motorcycle accident and my skin was all jacked up.
-Because my bike was totaled I had no transportation that was mine
-I was sleeping on someone’s couch
-A chiropractor had exploded a disk in my back leaving me practically unable to exercise, and doctors were telling me not to do any sort of movement for at least a year, and this is a permanent injury (which so far it has been).
-I had no friends in a state I was unfamiliar with

I came to California because I thought Michigan was not the place for me. And the route of playing professional hockey looked like a dead end with no excitement. Within 6 months of being here I was down on my luck, injured, poor, and with no concrete plans to do anything. California literally chewed me up and spit me out. I had never encountered so many challenges in my life.

But I had this feeling. The same feeling I got before the puck dropped every game. That I was going to come out with my hands up in the air. There was not a doubt in my mind that this was the beginning of a great journey. I remember being excited.

What I am trying to say, is that when I win I win. And when I lose I win. Everything is a win. I have been called cocky because of this,… well guess what: I am. And it beats the alternative of being depressed or down (about anything).

It behoves me to think that there are people who do not feel this way about everything they do. I do not understand the mentality of accepting that life sucks. (it has massively become apparent to me that these people do exist by just opening up Facebook and seeing everyone’s status updates). It is rather odd for me to ponder about the people that grew up without the trophies and victories.

I wonder if there is a realization in them that we are incredible beings, that everything is possible, and that nothing can hold them back from doing whatever they want in life. And then I wonder if I didn’t know these things would I of been as victorious growing up, and currently. It is all a big mind fuck,… but one thing is clear. Losing is not an option for me and it doesn’t have to be for anyone else either.

There is no reason to suck at life. There is no reason to live your life like a “loser”.

I want everyone in the gym to conquer themselves everyday. I want every workout to be a victory for people.

Everyday when you wake up I want to give you something to look forward to

-Everyday you trust yourself just a little bit more
-Everyday you learn more about your body and how it moves
-Everyday you meet a new person excited about health and life
-Even if you don’t hit a PR, you still win because you learn something
-Time slower than last time? Well lets figure out why and address it…
-Everyday, simple activity like climbing stairs gets easier and easier
-Everyday your shoulders get loosened up just a little bit more enabling you to walk around with your chest puffed up more and more
-Everyday the smile starts happening without you trying
-Everyday you survive

Everyone who is reading this is to be a winner. And that will include helping others win at life too. So spend your time doing meaningful work, with meaningful purpose.

…..From now on EVERYTHING is a win. I will not accept anything less from you all.

WOD 9-20-10:

CrossFit Total

Back Squat X 1
Shoulder Press X 1
Deadlift X 1

Score is total of all three lifts.

CrossFit Mean Streets
Downtown LA….. Where one can do anything