Each of us differs in terms of our aspirations in life. I find it difficult understanding how some people are so passionate about things that I find utterly boring. I am sure some feel the same way about the things I love in life. The truth is that God places different dreams and desires inside each of us, and that’s what makes us tick.
I thought that since I went to college to be an engineer, it would rub off on at least one of my six children. After all, they are all of my flesh and blood. But that didn’t happen. In fact, no two of my children have similar career interests.
One thing they all have in common, however, is they all want to be winners. That’s true about every sane person. Who in her right mind wants to be a loser? I’m convinced God has wired us that way; that is, to desire to want to win in life.
But winning requires more than a mere desire to win. We must also have or develop a winner’s attitude. This mindset is not incidental to salvation. A person can be born again, confident of his salvation, and still be governed by a loser’s mentality.
Disciplines for a Winner’s Attitude
The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, gives us a recipe for having a winner’s attitude. I have drawn the following points from his letter. They are practical and can be easily implemented.
1. Be determined to win. “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?” Paul asks (1 Cor. 9:24, NASB). “Run in such a way that you may win.” We should live our life as if we are running in a race, there will be but one winner, and we are determined to be that winner. Paul is not saying we should go around competing with everybody. But winners become winners because they first determine to be winners.
2. Strive for mastery. Observe any great athlete in the sports world. One reason he or she electrifies a crowd is because she has mastered what she does. This mastery does not come overnight. To get there, one must exercise “self-control in all things” (v. 25a). That means winners must endure the road to perfection with much patience, failures, and persistence.
One thing that intrigues me is the finesse with which figure skaters perform. I can only imagine how long it takes for them to master their graceful moves. They do all of this for a crown that’s here today and gone tomorrow. By contrast, we will receive a crown that is imperishable (verse 25b).
3. Stay focused. We must maintain a sense of purpose in life. Paul illustrates this point in terms of a boxer. To hit his target, as opposed to missing his target and beating the air (verse 26), a boxer must remain focused on his opponent. We must do the same in life. We need a clear purpose, and we must focus our energies toward that end. No one can be a winner going through life without focus.
4. Play by the rules. In verse 27, Paul talks about the possibility of preaching and winning others to Christ while at the same time becoming disqualified. What a way to lose!
Some people will do almost anything to get ahead in life and to realize their dream. To them, the end justifies the means. Some athletes will even resort to illegal, performance-enhancing drugs for a competitive edge. But God never regards cheaters as winners. In His eyes, true winners play by the rules.
The Applicability of These Disciplines
Up to this point, I have been purposefully vague about the applicability of the points above from Paul’s epistle. I have talked about winning, but I have done so generically. The truth is that the concepts will work for any noble endeavor in life.
Perhaps you work as a teacher in the public school system, for example. I say to you that if you want to be a winning teacher, be determined to win, strive for mastery, stay focused, and play by the rules, and you will be a great teacher.
From what I have said up to this point, it should be obvious that a winner’s attitude requires more than positive thinking. You don’t become a winner simply by repeatedly telling yourself that you are until you believe that you are. Think about the points we drew from Paul’s letter: be determined to win, strive for mastery, stay focused, and play by the rules.
A winner’s attitude is a way of life characterized by these disciplines.
First and foremost, Paul’s focuses on our walk with the Lord and our service to Him. That’s where we should make it a priority to implement the principles above. Yes, they will work in other areas of our life. In the end, however, our greatest trophy will be an incorruptible crown that only the Lord can give us.
What do you think about the saying, “attitude determines attitude”?
Copyright © 2023 by Frank King. All rights reserved.