We win some, we lose some. That’s how it is in life.
Though at times it can be difficult to deal with finishing last, you should also know that being in last place does not necessarily mean that you have lost. In winning and losing, it is a person’s perspective that can make a difference.
Rather than focus on winning, learn to appreciate what each experience teaches you.
This is one of the most important life lessons to remember, and one that you should teach your kids as well. Here are five reasons why it’s okay to come in last, and why this still makes you a winner.
1. You learn things from being in last place
The biggest gain from being in last place is that you learn from it. Humility, gratitude, and even your own strengths and weaknesses are a few of the realizations that come to you when you come in last.
You are put in a position where you stop, think, and assess the things you have done, and how you can do better. These are life lessons that you take with you. You may be in last place now, but you are also stronger as you move forward.
Especially with your kids, trying alone is already a big win.
2. The mere fact that you tried makes you a winner
Former American president Theodore Roosevelt once said, “It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.” The hard work and determination that you put in for something that you want to achieve is a great feat in itself.
Mommy blogger Pehpot Pineda agrees with this quote, saying that a loser is one who never even tried, and not someone who came in last. This is another of the life lessons that you can teach your children about finishing in last place.
Read three more reasons why it’s okay to finish last in the next page.
Little victories are important, too, because they help make life happier.
3. You get to celebrate small victories
If you really think about it, small victories can be the most valuable ones. They can help motivate you to keep trying, whether in sports, business, or life in general. Small wins serve as life lessons, too, and can also be a source of happiness.
As a parent, it is also beneficial to celebrate your children’s small milestones. These can be simple, every day things, like noticing how well they can now hold a crayon, even though they still cannot color inside the lines.
They can also be major feats, like your child going onstage without crying in order to take part in a class presentation, even though he or she doesn’t memorize the lines or steps.
4. Finishing last is better than not finishing at all
Quitting is always the easy way out, but seeing something through until the end despite obstacles and challenges you may face takes strength and courage.
A shift in perspective will show you that life really isn’t about winning. Rather, it is about trying your best, getting to that finish line, and just finishing.
In life, finishing the race or finally achieving a goal is far more important than coming in first.
5. There is always a next time
It can be argued that a win is a win, and last place is certainly far from first. While this could be true, the important thing to do is look beyond the position that you are in now, and instead look ahead to the next opportunity.
This idea that there is always a next time is another of the important life lessons you should impart to your children to help them succeed and achieve as they grow older.
You never run out of chances to do better. As the saying goes, if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patricia de Castro-Cuyugan
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