Have you ever lost? It sucks, does it not? Winning on the other hand is everything. I have found this to be true because you are praised when you win, and you are looked down upon when you lose. If you’ve won before what does that really mean to you? I feel as if the phrase “to win” can be taken in many ways and can be debatable and/or ambiguous. But everyone loves to win, no matter what way they are doing it. Also as you mature and age, the definition of the phrase to win matures with you. The phrase to win can be taken and used differently in anybody's life.

The word “win” means to “be successful or victorious in (a contest or conflict)”. The dictionary definition of the word win, as you can see, is mostly subjected to something involving a competition between other people. Children follow this concept of winning because this type involves trophies, medals, ribbons, e.t.c. When a kid receives a bright electric blue ribbon or a gold trophy so shiny it could blind someone in an instant, they feel like they are on top of the world. Kids would always be driven to win by the unnecessary want of this type of masterpiece. But in reality, it was a shiny little plastic figure that only cost about 5 dollars to make at most.

Winning to me has a whole different and way more in-depth meaning than a trophy and medal and the same goes for many other people alongside me. You sometimes don't even have to get the first place or finish at the top of something to be a winner. In fact, I personally think losing at something is better than winning. Losing brings out what you can reflect and approve upon and makes you work harder to achieve what you want. There are many scenarios where a person loses and feels more accomplished than if they had won it. For example, in the movie “Cars”, Lightning McQueen saw a fellow racer on the side of the track damaged so brutally looking lifeless, he decided to give up the label first place and help the other car to the finish line as a true winner. After the fact, the car that did win got the big shiny trophy but didn’t get the joy and emotions he had expected. Lightning McQueen on the other hand, was full of joy and felt better than he would have if he would’ve got first. He was praised for the action he had performed and felt what it was like to be a true winner. I also believe that if you worked your hardest and you are proud of whatever you did, you are a winner no matter what.

Another way some people look at winning is the way to just think that you're winning in everyday life. If your life is going perfectly to plan, you could say you're winning in life. This is when the idea of winning in life differentiates the ideal life a person wants to live. One person's ideal life would be living a luxurious life in the city of angels. Or as, in the book “Grapes of Wrath”, the Joads family’s idea of winning in life would be to just live off their farm, work hard, and be happy. This shows based on the lifestyle of people, you can be a winner all the time in your everyday life. All you have to do is be happy and work your hardest.

Winning can be taken in many different ways and looked upon in many opinions of the true meaning. Sometimes it’s okay to lose, most people tend to learn and get better at whatever task they failed coming up on top of. People get pure joy and happiness from doing the right things and putting forth their best effort, rather than cheating your way to victory and falling short of everything you thought winning was going to grant. As you can see, the phrase to win can be taken differently and just doesn’t have one true meaning of winning gold medals and getting first place.