Lead with Integrity: The Thrill of Victory

Ethics Matters

Q2 2020

My early childhood was in the pre-cable television days. During that time, I always enjoyed watching the Wild World of Sports. One of my favorite parts was the start of the show. Each episode began with a phrase describing the “thrill of victory” and the “agony of defeat.” I always loved the personal experience of the thrill of victory.

As we experience this difficult time with COVID-19, many are feeling the agony of defeat in various ways. I am motivated to encourage you to drive toward your thrill of victory. Your thrill of victory can be achieved by moving through your response
to adversity.

It is safe to say that we have all faced some level of adversity of late. It is completely natural for us to have an initially negative response; usually fear, anger or both; to adverse situations. However, once we get past that initial reaction, we increase the possibility to convert that negative situation into a positive outcome. That’s right, we
can control how quickly we move from the agony of defeat to the thrill of victory.

It is not always simple to make the transition, because there is an additional phase that slows us down. This phase is filled with uncertainty and often shakes our confidence. During this phase, we have to coach and advise ourselves. During this phase, we must remember the road to success is rarely easy, but it is always worth the journey, if we endure.

Enduring the difficult time takes us to the thrill of victory. I challenge you to move from the initial negative response, to hurdle over the uncertain feelings and reconnect with the original purpose for your journey. This movement is attainable, and it will lead you to the “thrill of victory!”