To be a winner is one of the most painstaking kinds of a job. Every person in the world has an intense desire to become a winner in any games of life whither he is educated or uneducated individual.
A person who has a desire to become a winner, always longing and trying to be on the top of the ladder, never at the middle, and never, never at the bottom. But the question is what makes a winner?
In my personal study on the writings of the great wise men, I discovered and observed that there are Twelve KEYS or answers on how and WHAT MAKES A WINNER.
1. Know thyself. Aristotle a great philosopher once says, “Know thyself.” By knowing and examining yourself, you will discover and learn what are your strength and weaknesses. As a young historian, I discovered one of the main reasons why the rulers and leaders toppled downed by their subordinates because they forget to polish their attitudes, characters, talents, skills, and fail to recall on how to strengthen their weaknesses.
Remember these readers, before a boxer go into the fight or in the arena first, he studied well how he can work-out, overcome, as well as strengthen his weaknesses before his opponents will discover it and knock him down!
2. Dream. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should encourage as well as motivate himself to have a dream. Napoleon Hill, a great wise man, the dare to fail person and the pioneer researcher in the science of success reminds that, “Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul; the blueprints of your ultimate achievements.”
Always put this in mind, dear readers, if you have a dreams, hold on to your dreams, if your dreams die, you’re like a wounded bird without a wing!
Remember that the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams!
3. Nurture your Character. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should nurture and be watchful to his character. Character is one of the secret of the great wise man, Benjamin Franklin why he became a winner in all his adhering in life. Dwight Moody, a great preacher of America expressed out, “forget your reputation, but nurture and polish your character, for your character will cover and protect your reputation.”
4. Never Make Excuses. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should encourage himself never to make excuses. An excuse makes a person a frustrated individual. Orison Swett Marden asserted, “Every fault you allow to become a habit, to get control over you, helps to make you second-class, and puts you at a disadvantage in the race for honor, position, wealth, and happiness.”
5. Never Stop Learning. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should encourage himself to never stop learning. I’ll still remember the sayings of the late great Filipino journalist, Ernie Baron “Knowledge is Power. No Knowledge, No Power.” And the Word of God added, “Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Through it cost all you have, get understanding. Esteem her, and she will exalt you; embrace her, and she will honor. She will set garland of grace on your head and present you with a crown of splendor” (Proverbs 4:7-9).
Remember these beloved readers, the more you read, the more you discover your ignorance. The Word of God exclaims and reminds you “Intelligent people are always ready to learn. Their ears are open to knowledge” (Proverbs 18:15).
6. Never used time for idleness. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should encourage and discipline himself to never use time for idleness.
Remember time is not money because you cannot accumulate time. You cannot regain time lost. You cannot borrow time. So learn to use your time wisely. Remember, life is so short; your life is like a vapor that appears for a moment and then disappears. Therefore, I encouraged you better live your best; act your best, and think your best today; for today is the sure preparation for tomorrow!
7. Never Criticize. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should learn to manage his tongue as well as encourage himself to never criticize other people. Thomas Carlyle once said, “A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men.”
Dale Carnegie adds and reminded, “When dealing with people, let us remember we are not dealing with creatures of logic. We are dealing with creatures of emotions, creatures bristling with prejudices and motivated by pride and vanity. And criticism is a dangerous spark, a spark that is liable to cause an explosion in the power magazine of pride, an explosion that sometimes hastens death.”
8. Hard Work. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should learn and teach himself the value of hard work. The Word of God says that, “All hard works brings a profit, but mere talks leads only to poverty”(Proverbs 13:23 NIV). The Word of God again expressed out and warned you, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth” (Proverbs 10:4 NIV).
Remember nothing worthwhile comes easily. Half effort does not produce half results. It produces no results, continuous work, hard work, is the only result that lasts!
9. Take good care of your health. As what I have learned in personal readings and studies from the writings of the great wise men before a person will become a winner, he should learn to take good care of his health. Except God, There is only person who are truly faithful, honest, and very loyal to you that even in time of chaos, hardship and calamities that are always there to stay behind you through thick and thin that is other except you! If you’ve really want to succeed in your goal and dreams in life, learn and take good care of your health. Remember, Health is Wealth!
10. Value other people. Remember the sayings readers “No man is an Island”. Enable for you to become a winner, you should learn to value other people. In book entitled Team Work Makes the Dreams Work, John Maxwell pointed out “Teamwork gives you the best opportunity to turn vision into reality.” And Andrew Carnegie, the author of the book How to Win Friends and Influenced People added “It marks a big step in your development when you come to realize that other people can help you do a better job than you could do alone”. Helen Keller, the blind woman who became a great educator further added “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.
The Word of God firmly reminding us people, In the Book of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 uttered, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken” (NIV).
11. Trust and Make God be the Center of your Life. Solomon, a great wise man advised if your really longing to succeed in any games and challenges of life, you must learn, practice, and encourage yourself to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3: 5-6 NIV). Put God in the center and everything will come together (Romans 8:28 NIV).
Starting today, if you will make God as the center of your life, God has a special promised for you. He will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom! (Deuteronomy 28:11-13 NIV).
12. Don’t Quit. Through reading the writings of the great wise men, I have learned that before a person will become a winner, he should teach and encourage himself to never, never quit in the challenges of life. As what the old saying says, “The diamond cannot be polished without friction nor man be perfected without trials!”
Always remember these beloved readers, a loser always quit, but a winner never, never quit and he Dare Mighty Things to conquer the impossible!
Wish you many blessings to come and God Bless!
Moises P. Reconalla
About the Author
Moises P. Reconalla is the School Guidance Counselor, College Instructor and Working Students Supervisor at North Davao Colleges, Panabo City, Philippines.
Mr. Reconalla has taught several courses at the college including: Guidance and Counseling, General Psychology, Philippine History: Roots and Development, General Anthropology and Sociology and Dr. Jose Rizal: Life, Works & Writings.
All rights reserved Worldwide. Copyright 2006- 2007 by Moises Padin Reconalla
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