4 Lessons From The Unimaginable Winner And The Steady Loser
/Did you watch the Kentucky Derby last weekend? I did.
As I watched the horses warm up, I noticed the last horse Rich Strike in the lineup went by with barely any mention other than his unlikely 80-1 odds of winning.
I asked my boyfriend “If you had a horse with odds of winning at 80-1, would you pay the $50,000 entry fee?” (scroll to the end if you want to know what my answer was)
The owner of Rich Strike even assumed they would lose and told all his friends to enjoy the day without worry. They weren’t even supposed to be in the race, having entered the race merely 34 hours before the post time.
As the race was underway, unsurprisingly Rich Strike was in the back of the path,16 horses back from the front. This race was already being run at nearly a record-breaking starting speed. The horses at the back didn’t stand a chance.
But the jockey riding Rich Strike never stopped telling himself he could do it. Sonny Leon waited for his moment. When the opening came, he seized it with the skill of an experienced jockey on a horse he knew through and through.
After he was declared the winner, he told reporters that all the way to the end he told himself “I think I got this. I can win the Kentucky Derby.”
And on the other end of the spectrum, the world’s worst race horse Zippy Chippy recently died. He lost 100 races. He was so slow to start out of the gate, that he actually lost a race against a minor league baseball player.
Despite his losing record, he was deeply beloved.
Zippy Chippy raced because he loved it. He didn’t understand why everyone was always in such a rush; he was happy to be right where he was and do his own thing. His owner loved Zippy Chippy for who he was and didn’t try to force him to be something that he wasn’t.
Both of these horses taught me 4 invaluable lessons:
Do what you love because you love it. Don’t do it for the wins. Do it for yourself.
The losses aren’t worth worrying over, so you might as well enjoy yourself.
Even when the odds are stacked against you, don’t give up.
Don’t underestimate preparation and practice, just in case opportunity knocks.
They inspired me to reignite my blog and my business. I haven’t really stopped, just quietly practicing on the side. And here I am, hoping you’ll welcome me into your inbox.
Don’t be surprised if you see me rocket to the front of the pack. Or not. Maybe I’ll be over here stopping to smell the flowers. But whatever I do, I’m recommitting to doing what I love and doing it for the fun of it.
Who’s with me?
PS. I actually was arguing that I would NOT have entered the race with a $50,000 entry fee and 80-1 odds of winning. I would have lost out on winning $3million. And so I learned a 5th lesson: Bet on yourself. When you work hard and are doing your best, take the chances. You can’t possibly know the outcome.
PPS. Do you want someone to believe in you and push you beyond what you could have ever imagined possible and reach your wildest dreams? Someone teaching you how to handle the ups and the downs while eliminating stress and drama? Maybe it’s time for a life coach. Want to explore if we’re a good fit to work together? Book a free 60 minute consultation here.