Daries: 25 november 2021

 I'm always amazed at people's reactions when they see me inside the premises of the company I work for.

Their face describes the perfect expression: "HOW CAN THIS WORK IN A SIMILAR COMPANY". The last episode happened just today during my lunch break.

I was in the coffee area when a worker from the company arrived who is carrying out the restoration work on the offices. This middle-aged gentleman looked at me and said, "Hi brother" smiled and rested with a simple "Hi"; I stood looking at myself for a moment, incredulous of what was happening before his eyes.

I wanted so much to tell him: "Oh yes, brother, you too could have succeeded, surely your children will do better than me. It will not be easy, they will make sacrifices, they will suffer insults, mockery on their body, linguistic, ethnic diversity but they will make it.

They will not have to find themselves sitting in front of the kitchen table in the evening, with too many days left before the end of the month, without being able to have fun. To think about the same worries, fears and problems. They will not have too much debt, they will have a lot of savings and a sense of control over their life. They will not be slaves to the banks, the government and the needs of the family.

I would like to share my secret, what has led me to where I am. In basketball jargon they define it Mental Toughness, having a winning spirit. Fall back up.

I always say to myself: winning is everywhere. Every minute, you have the potential to recognize an opportunity, push yourself harder, let go of the insecurity and fear, stop listening to what others tell you, and decide to own that moment. And not just that one single moment, but the next one, and the next one. And before long, you've owned the hour, and the day, and the month. Again. Again

Winning ignites a self-conscious awareness that others are watching. It's lot a lot easier to move under the radar when no one knows you and no one is paying attention. You can mess up and be rough and get dirty because no one even knows you're there. But as soon as you start to win, and others start to notice, you're suddenly aware that you're being observed. You're being judged. You worry that others will discover your flaws and weaknesses, and you start hiding your true personality, so you can be good role model and good citizen and a leader that others can respect. There is nothing wrong with that. But if you do it at the expense of being who you really are, making decisions that please others instead of pleasing yourself, you're not going to be in that position very long.

So this is what i know.

Winning will cost you everything, and reward you with more, if you're willing to do the work. Don't bother to roll up your sleeves, just rip the fucking things off-and do what others won't or can't. They don't matter anyway; you are in this alone.

Stop being afraid of what you'll become. You should be more afraid of not becoming that.

If you can't buy into this, if you believe
you're not ready or not deserving, if you're not willing to commit to your own success, you've never won, and you probably won't. 

Because winners all understand one thing: there's a price to pay, and you must pay it.