You read that headline right. In the midst of many compelling World Cup stories, this one is literally earth-shattering,
Mexico was playing the defending World Cup champion, Germany, on Sunday when Hirving “Chucky” Lozano blasted a deadlock-breaking goal for a 1-0 lead. To say the reaction was palpable is an understatement.
The Institute of Geologic and Atmospheric Investigations in Mexico reported that two of their sensors picked up the “event,” potentially causing an actual small earthquake:
The win was especially meaningful for Mexico, a country that has a rich tradition of playing soccer and yet has been knocked out of the Round of 16 every World Cup dating back to 1994. Plus, the country has been recently facing a seemingly constant stream of depressing news–and it’s currently in the midst of a particularly brutal political campaign season.
So you can forgive its fans for causing a minor catastrophe.
Not to be lost in the midst of this incredible story is a comment from Juan Carlos Osorio, Mexico’s coach. Osorio shared with reporters the secret behind his team’s unlikely success on this historic day, summing it up in one inspiring sentence: “The phrase today was to play for the love of winning, not for the fear of losing.”
The love of winning must be stronger than the fear of losing–especially for entrepreneurs.
The moment I heard Osorio’s quote, I thought about how applicable it is to us all, especially entrepreneurs. So many of us start with a dream. And if you’re harboring one or are afraid to have and act on one, remember the equally inspiring words of Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who said after the game, “Nobody can tell us not to dream”.
There is nothing like working in the pursuit of winning at something you love and that matters to you. Such a love, of winning on your terms, is one of the greatest forces on earth.
Now compare that to operating from a place of fear, which happens to so many entrepreneurs.
It goes something like this. Reality quickly kicks in. Doubters start catching your ear. A slow start to sales. You don’t get that initial financing. Some negative customer feedback. While the never-ending hours you’re working still manages to creep up, self-doubt creeps in.
Before you know it, you’re working so insanely hard because you fear losing everything you’ve put into it. You fear humiliation. You fear the loss of a dream. Being an entrepreneur becomes a grind that grinds on your heart, head, and soul. You discover, perhaps, that you’re playing not to lose rather than playing to win.
You forget what that dream will feel like when you achieve it because it has become masked in the shadow of what you fear.
I’ve been there.
I’ve experienced those downward spikes that cause me to forget why I was pursuing my entrepreneurial venture in the first place. I’ve had periods where I’ve forgotten how exhilarating it feels to “win.” For me, the win is to know that I’m living my purpose and feeling a greater sense of impact. Watching revenues grow is, to me, a side effect of that impact.
I’ve also learned the inevitability of the inevitable. Not every day will feel like I’m winning.
Osorio’s reminder helps me remember that I play the game of being an entrepreneur for the love of winning at what matters to me. Ever since I read that quote, I’ve been thinking about how I should allow fewer days where I’m operating out of fear.
How about you?
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