I like to win. Who doesn’t? I work hard at being the best I can be in everything I do: Professional life and business, personal relationships and hobbies. I work hard at being the best me I can be, as often as possible. Yesterday it was suggested to me, however, that I actually make an effort to be average and my brain is having trouble assimilating that.
Allow me to clarify…
On Saturday this week I am grading for the IPSC State Titles coming up in January 2018. The grading will place me within a grade A, B, C or D in which I will compete the weekend of competition. IPSC stands for International Practical Shooting Confederation and I compete in the Production class with a CZ P-09 9mm semi-automatic pistol. On Saturday I will need to shoot a few IPSC stages against the clock and my overall times and scores will be graded and based on that I will be inserted into a particular grade for the State Titles.
I was told that it would be best if I don’t shoot at my best on Saturday because I would be placed in a lower grade and therefore have an excellent opportunity to place well at the State Titles and win something. It all sounds feasible and logical however it is not my way.
I have never been one to shy away from a challenge, difficult task or process and one of my biggest pet-hates is being allowed to win. I’m sure no one at the State Titles would go as far as allowing me to win but if I tanked at my grading then am I not setting myself up for an easy win? If, and when, I win at anything I want to do so on my terms after hard work, effort and the application of skills and practice. Being allowed to win sounds too much like pity to me and I don’t value that emotion. My wife let me win at the Monopoly board game once. She was just getting all the right dice rolls and picking up the right cards and was kicking my ass! She backed off and let me win though and I was so annoyed!
So, come Saturday this week I’ll be shooting at the highest level I can possibly muster, will run hard between targets and positions and shoot as accurately as I can. If I end up in A or B grade and then get smashed at the State Titles then so be it. It will simply be a true indication of where I need to improve. On the other hand, if I do well I will know I have done so against shooters of a better class and commensurate with my own skills.
Getting handed a win, or worse, being duplicitous and underhanded to set one up, is simply not in my nature.
