Winning is Completely Dependent
Winning is Completely Dependent
Winning is Completely Dependent
Winning is Completely Dependent
It’s all up to me. This phrase often describes our mindset for the games we play, the work we do, the life challenges we face, and even how we approach our spiritual lives.
It’s all up to me. This phrase often describes our mindset for the games we play, the work we do, the life challenges we face, and even how we approach our spiritual lives. Yet, when we look closely at our lives and work—even at the work of world record holding athletes—we see that this mindset can be a real trap.
Personal responsibilities and initiatives are important for everything we face in life. We must take the gifts we are given and respond with our best effort. However, none of us achieve anything meaningful on athletic fields, in boardrooms, or within our homes, without help from others. And, we certainly can’t do anything lasting without God’s hand (Jeremiah 32:17). The Apostle Paul said it this way, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants
Accomplished winners understand they can’t do it alone. At the recent Tokyo summer Olympics, Caeleb Dresell gave his gold medal to his 4X100m freestyle relay teammate, Brooks Curry. Dressel tossed it from the podium to Curry who was in the stands. Curry swam the preliminary round the night before the championship race to help team USA qualify for the medal round. Dressell explained his actions saying, "I had the easiest job last night out of everyone here, I got to watch it on TV, so I felt like (Brooks) deserved that a little more than me.”
The great scientist and philosopher, Sir Isaac Newton, is often quoted as the first person who said "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” but he was actually quoting Bernard of Chartres from the 12th century. Yes, even the brightest and most gifted people are completely dependent on the works of others.
We would not be able to compete in games without those who created the game and made the rules. We wouldn’t understand the definition of “well done” without those who came before us and set the records. The same is true for our life and work—just like it was for the pioneers and trailblazers who founded our country, established our laws, and built our industries. Winners at work and life know everything from the electricity we use to the devices we communicate with were created by those who came before us.
What About You?
Think about all that you have accomplished. What were your key dependencies?
Consider your greatest strengths. Where did they come from?
Consider who made you (Psalm 139: 13-14). Are your strengths from hard work? Who assisted you?
I challenge you to make a list of all your positive attributes, gifts, and strengths. Do a root cause analysis of each of them. Go deep and go back to former generations. Consider everything that led you to where you are now. If you do this, you will find that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
Dependence Produces Gratitude
What do we have that we did not receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7). When we consider all of our dependencies we can’t help but be grateful. Grateful for parents who changed our diapers and taught us to walk. Grateful for family members who taught us how to love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Grateful for friends who stood by us and encouraged us (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Grateful for the teachers, coaches, bosses, and mentors who have trained and inspired us. Of course the list could go on forever. I suggest you start the list and keep adding to it.
What About The Race You Are Running Today?
Where are you going and how will you get there? Who are you relying on right now? Make this list too. Name the people, assets, and systems that are helping you achieve your current goals. Most importantly, consider where you are going. Your time on this earth will be over before you know it. Your striving for the things of this world will end (Ecclesiastes 2:22) and then you will meet God—the One who you can depend on most. He is your most dependable resource, the One who will help you win the ultimate race and lead you to where you belong (Ephesians 1:11).
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation”Use this photo
This article is part of our series on winning.
Winners are gifted people who are focused on specific goals that they pursue with relentless passion, intentional discipline and detailed preparation. Confident in the outcome, they understand the cost of their pursuit and humbly surrender that which is not necessary to the mission as they look forward to their reward.
7 Attributes Of Winners
The Bible has a lot to say about winning including what it takes to compete and finish in victory. Here are seven attributes of winners with links to the articles already written to guide you on the path to victory:
- Gifted - possess specific talents and abilities (See Talent Use It Or Lose It) “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” - 1 Peter 4:10-11.
- Focused - goal oriented, with vision to see possibilities (See The Gift Of Vision) “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” - Acts 2:17
- Passionate - strong desire to accomplish the mission (See Winners Passionately Surrender) “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” - Philippians 1:23
- Dependent - humility to know it can’t be done alone “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13
- Disciplined - pursuit of goals with relentless intentionality and detailed preparation “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” - 1 Corinthians 9:25
- Surrendered - fully understanding the cost of the pursuit “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” - Luke 14:27-28
- Confident - sure of the outcome, looking forward to the reward “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57
It’s all up to me. This phrase often describes our mindset for the games we play, the work we do, the life challenges we face, and even how we approach our spiritual lives. Yet, when we look closely at our lives and work—even at the work of world record holding athletes—we see that this mindset can be a real trap.
Personal responsibilities and initiatives are important for everything we face in life. We must take the gifts we are given and respond with our best effort. However, none of us achieve anything meaningful on athletic fields, in boardrooms, or within our homes, without help from others. And, we certainly can’t do anything lasting without God’s hand (Jeremiah 32:17). The Apostle Paul said it this way, “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).
Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants
Accomplished winners understand they can’t do it alone. At the recent Tokyo summer Olympics, Caeleb Dresell gave his gold medal to his 4X100m freestyle relay teammate, Brooks Curry. Dressel tossed it from the podium to Curry who was in the stands. Curry swam the preliminary round the night before the championship race to help team USA qualify for the medal round. Dressell explained his actions saying, "I had the easiest job last night out of everyone here, I got to watch it on TV, so I felt like (Brooks) deserved that a little more than me.”
The great scientist and philosopher, Sir Isaac Newton, is often quoted as the first person who said "If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants” but he was actually quoting Bernard of Chartres from the 12th century. Yes, even the brightest and most gifted people are completely dependent on the works of others.
We would not be able to compete in games without those who created the game and made the rules. We wouldn’t understand the definition of “well done” without those who came before us and set the records. The same is true for our life and work—just like it was for the pioneers and trailblazers who founded our country, established our laws, and built our industries. Winners at work and life know everything from the electricity we use to the devices we communicate with were created by those who came before us.
What About You?
Think about all that you have accomplished. What were your key dependencies?
Consider your greatest strengths. Where did they come from?
Consider who made you (Psalm 139: 13-14). Are your strengths from hard work? Who assisted you?
I challenge you to make a list of all your positive attributes, gifts, and strengths. Do a root cause analysis of each of them. Go deep and go back to former generations. Consider everything that led you to where you are now. If you do this, you will find that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows” (James 1:17).
Dependence Produces Gratitude
What do we have that we did not receive? (1 Corinthians 4:7). When we consider all of our dependencies we can’t help but be grateful. Grateful for parents who changed our diapers and taught us to walk. Grateful for family members who taught us how to love (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). Grateful for friends who stood by us and encouraged us (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Grateful for the teachers, coaches, bosses, and mentors who have trained and inspired us. Of course the list could go on forever. I suggest you start the list and keep adding to it.
What About The Race You Are Running Today?
Where are you going and how will you get there? Who are you relying on right now? Make this list too. Name the people, assets, and systems that are helping you achieve your current goals. Most importantly, consider where you are going. Your time on this earth will be over before you know it. Your striving for the things of this world will end (Ecclesiastes 2:22) and then you will meet God—the One who you can depend on most. He is your most dependable resource, the One who will help you win the ultimate race and lead you to where you belong (Ephesians 1:11).
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation”Use this photo
This article is part of our series on winning.
Winners are gifted people who are focused on specific goals that they pursue with relentless passion, intentional discipline and detailed preparation. Confident in the outcome, they understand the cost of their pursuit and humbly surrender that which is not necessary to the mission as they look forward to their reward.
7 Attributes Of Winners
The Bible has a lot to say about winning including what it takes to compete and finish in victory. Here are seven attributes of winners with links to the articles already written to guide you on the path to victory:
- Gifted - possess specific talents and abilities (See Talent Use It Or Lose It) “Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” - 1 Peter 4:10-11.
- Focused - goal oriented, with vision to see possibilities (See The Gift Of Vision) “In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.” - Acts 2:17
- Passionate - strong desire to accomplish the mission (See Winners Passionately Surrender) “I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far.” - Philippians 1:23
- Dependent - humility to know it can’t be done alone “for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” - Philippians 2:13
- Disciplined - pursuit of goals with relentless intentionality and detailed preparation “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” - 1 Corinthians 9:25
- Surrendered - fully understanding the cost of the pursuit “And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” - Luke 14:27-28
- Confident - sure of the outcome, looking forward to the reward “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” - 1 Corinthians 15:57