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America Faces its Biggest Challenge

From our historical victory against the British in the late 1700’s to our home sports team winning the national championship, we Americans like to win. Up until Viet Nam, America perceived itself as winning all wars. Once we hit the proverbial brick wall militarily, we were all kinda shook up. But we kept on. Kept on winning. The great automobile manufacturing war of the 1970’s had us taking on both our former WWII sworn enemies of Germany and Japan and at the end of the day, we kinda won.

Meaning, we didn’t let them take over, though it is hard to believe that when you see a BMW or a Corolla. At the end of the day, winning is how we perceive it and how we perceive whether we’re winning or not is all based on keeping our perspective. If you’re on a diet and want to lose 50 pounds, just by eating better, you’ve started your diet and that’s winning. Losing the weight is almost the prize. The goal is to start.

We Americans Like to Win

Because at the end of the “game” or season, there is always a winner. Sure; there’s always gonna be some controversy. “But, they cheated!” is always gonna come up during a national championship, sports or politics. And this brings up a problem. If we go with the notion that winning is everything, then how do we deal with losing? Well, I have the answer. Both winning and losing are on very long curves and they are comparatives, rather than absolutes.

In fact the concept of competition is comparative by nature. If you were a baseball player and hit more home runs than anyone in any given season, but your team loses the World Series, I hope you can still win MVP. Because action. Accomplishment. Even just trying is winning.

Innovation is the Key

The thing to remember about us Americans is that we’ve weathered many storms. The 1929 stock market crash, 9/11, and the 2009 housing crisis. We will survive whatever is there to overcome. We have some of the brightest innovators in the world and whether it’s coming up with a renewable energy source or a delightfully fun way to get around the city, we Americans excel in innovation. We Americans like to win.

The world is going through a test.

The Coronavirus is literally testing everyone’s patience and ability to cope. The entire situation is exsaserbated by the fact, that unlike self-improvement, we absolutely depend upon what others do. What the government does. What our local supermarket chain does. What the average stranger passing us by does.

My belief is that in terms of the Covid 19 crisis, each one of us has to literally win every single day. Change and adjust your definition of winning. Were you able to go the store and get milk? Where you able to keep yourself and others safe while doing it. Are you able to keep your head above the ever increasing financial dangerous waters. The key to it all, of course is to be well informed, do the work, and keep on keeping on. We Americans like to win.

Cut Yourself Some Slack

It’s sometimes hard to feel like a winner when everyone around you seems to have a better life. More things, more money, better looks. And there’s only so much we can do about any of that. That’s why you have to cut yourself some slack. Remember where you’re coming from for sure; but how far you’ve already come is most important.

For The Hollywood Dog, this has been Steven Alan Green

3/19/20