DETERMINATION: First Step towards WINNING

June 08, 2013

We all want to win in exam, games, sports, negotiations, bidding interview, jobs, professions and in many events. Winning makes people successful, happy and enhance their confidence to improve, try new things and keep on moving. Nobody wants to lose. But very few win continuously whatever they do in their life. Many win in one occasion but lose subsequently.

What are the qualities required for WINNING ? Lots of things i.e. STRATEGY, PLANNING, EXECUTION, HARD WORK, CONFIDENCE, DETERMINATION, PRACTICE, PREPARATION, PATIENCE, RISK TAKING, COLLABORATION, TEAM WORK etc. are required for WINNING.

What is the first step for Winning? What one should do in order to win? From my experience I would say that “DETERMINATION is the First Step towards WINNING”

Oxford Dictionary defines “DETERMINATION as firmness of purpose, controlling or deciding of the nature or outcome of something, tendency to move in a particular direction”.

There are lots of examples “How Determination leads to Win”

By Determination a housewife and mother Premlata Agarwal (from Jharkhand) became the oldest Indian woman to have scaled the world's tallest peak, Mount Everest at the age of 48 years on May 20, 2011. She participated in the First Indian Women’s Thar Desert Expedition in 2007; a 40-day camel safari from Bhuj in Gujarat to the Wagah Border (Indo-Pak border) in Punjab. Her feats have earned her a listing in the Limca Book of Records. She also became the first Indian woman to scale the Seven Summits after climbing the McKinley Peak in May 2013.

Similarly Uchiro Miura, a Japanese mountaineer become oldest person to scale Mount Everest at age of 80 in May 2013 because of his strong determination to win.

Many physically challenged (differently abled) persons scaled mountains and win in sports because of their determination.

Quotes on “DETERNIMATION”

I. They say love will find a way. I know determination will. – Ronnie Mulsap

II. The truest wisdom is a resolute determination. – Napoleon Bonaparte

III. This is the first lesson to learn: be determined not to curse anything outside, not to lay the blame upon anyone outside, but stand up, lay the blame on yourself. You will find that is always true. Get hold of yourself. – Swami Vivekananda

IV. A dream doesn’t become reality through magic, it takes sweat, determination and hard work. – Colin Powel

V. Determination gives you the resolve to keep going in spite of the roadblocks that lay before you. – Denis Waitley

VI. Do not underestimate the determination of a quite man. – Iain Duncan Smith.

VII. Failure will never overtake me if my determination to succeed is strong enough. - Og Mandino

I have won many things in my life when my determination was strong. Similarly I have failed in many occasions when my determination was weak. Let me narrate just two examples;

Sports : learned & won a medal in last moment determination

In the year 1984, when I was reading in class – IX in Municipal High School, (Choudwar, Cuttack, Odisha) I participated in sports. I had enrolled myself in three (3) different types of events “Long Jump, Discuss throw and a running”. I failed in all these events. I was feeling very sad for myself. My inner urge was to win a medal and put steps on the victory stand before the gathering of students and teachers. I DETERMINED to put my best effort and win a medal. There was an option that one could enrol in a sport event on the spot. At that moment “Pole Vault” event was just starting. I enrolled myself in that event. I had never played or practiced “Pole Vault”. But my determination was very strong at that moment. I learned the tricks of the sport from other participants. I put my best effort and secured 3^rd position, won copper medal in “Pole Vault”.

Academic : Become Topper in the mid-career because of Determination

For mid-career academic learning, I had enrolled myself in M. Phil course in Natural Resource Management (NRM) in Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal in the academic session 2004 – 05 taking sabbatical leave from PRADAN. I am an average learner but I used to do well in exams due to my regular attendance in classes, sincerity in learning, hard work and advance preparation for exams. In M. Phil course I faced steep competition from my batch mates in securing good percentage in various term exam papers. I was feeling difficulties in learning new academic things due to my age and lack of previous knowledge in certain subjects. A decade ago (1993 – 95) I had done my master’s course in Social Work from Visva-Bharati University, Santiniketan. The M. Phil course became a challenge for me. I DETERMINED to put my best effort and secure a position in the class. I worked hard, studied for long hours, took help from batch mates and faculty. Finally I become topper and won Gold Medal in M.Phil.

How DETERMINATION works : When one determines for a particular thing, his / her mind visualize winning situation, Concentration and Focus on that particular thing increases, He / She puts best effort on that which ultimately leads for WINNING.

End Notes:

Internalize “Power of Determination”
Identify your own winning moments – small or big, old or new where you had won by your DETERMINATION.
Practice Determination in small things i.e. completes a task within time limit, stop a bad habit, start a new hobby etc.
Determine and take calculated risk in a new thing
Accept failures in life and determine to fight back and put your best effort continuously.
Read success stories about “Determination”