The Success Manual

"Rich people play the money game to Win.  Poor people play the money game to NOT lose.  Let me ask you: If you were to play any sport or any game strictly on defense, what are the chances of your winning that game?  Most people would agree, slim and none.  The goal of truly rich people is to have massive wealth and abundance."  T. Harv Ecker from "Secrets of the Millionaire Mind - Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth"

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Success KEY: Play to WIN - Don't Play to "Not Lose"

I have been a New York Giants football fan for most of my life.  I have seen Big Blue at their best and I have seen them play at their absolute worst.  They have won three Super Bowl championships and they have failed miserably - as they did this year when they lost 8 of their last 11 games and failed to make the playoffs after starting the season by winning their first 5 games.

Over the years, while watching my beloved G-Men win and lose, I - like may football aficionados - have closely studied their game strategies.  True lovers of professional football who watch the games and study the offensive and defensive plans and game strategies will come to see two diametrically opposed plans of attack: some teams clearly play to WIN, while other teams simply play to "not lose."

While both strategies seemingly may get you to the same place (winning the game), and in the short NFL season, a win is a win is a win, and all teams will take a win however it may come, the game plan of "playing to WIN" is very, very different than the game plan of "playing to not lose."  Both strategic approaches apply to the Game of Success, and the plan that you implement in your game may well determine whether you Succeed.

When you play to "not lose," at best you are merely playing to SURVIVE.  When you play to WIN, however, you put everything on the line and play to THRIVE.  "Surviving" and "thriving" are different animals.

What is the game plan of playing to "not lose?" It is an extremely conservative strategy.  It involves taking no risks and no chances.  It is playing from the vantage point of your comfort zone.  It is non-committal.  It is premised on FEAR and LACK OF CONFIDENCE in your own abilities to Succeed, regardless of the circumstances.  It is defensive, not offensive.  It allows for numerous exits for retreat "just in case."

Consider.  When the Giants play "not to lose," it is usually when they hold a slight lead in a tough game and the game is in the 4th quarter.  Rather than continue to push hard and aggressively move the ball and play to score (isn't that the object: scoring points?), they settle back, hold onto the ball, and try to work down the clock.  Why?  Because they essentially lack the confidence in themselves.  By implementing a "play not to lose" mentality, the coaching staff effectively telegraphs to the team that they lack confidence in their ability to move the ball, that if they push hard they are apt to make a costly mistake, and that if they fall behind, they will be unable to stage a comeback and beat the opposition.  If that isn't a defeatist attitude, I don't know what is. 

When you play to "not lose" in the game of Success it is no different.  Instead of playing with abandon and commitment, you play merely to hold onto what you already have.  You play to survive.  You play to "get by."  You play to have "just enough" and make a "comfortable living."  When you play to "not lose," you are not pushing to WIN, you are not seeking to SCORE.  The object of the game - whether football or Success - is to put POINTS ON THE BOARD.

Lake of the Clouds Hut in Winter, The Presidential Range, NH, February 2008

In his master Success Classic, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill explains the concept skillfully, using brilliant real life analogies.  When a would be associate of inventor Thomas A. Edison showed up at Edison's door - with the goal of becoming a partner of Edison - Edwin C. Barnes left himself no safety valve, no option for retreat.  He either had to do whatever it took to eventually become a partner of Edison's or he had to die trying.  As Hill states:

[Barnes] did not say, "I will keep my eyes open for another opportunity in case I fail to get what I want in the Edison organization."  He said, "There is but ONE thing in the world that I am determined to have, and that is a business association with Thomas A. Edison.  I will burn all bridges behind me and stake my ENTIRE FUTURE on my ability to get what I want."

He left himself no possible way of retreat.  He had to win or perish!

In yet another tale from Think and Grow Rich, Hill tells the story of a great warrior from long ago whose army was greatly outnumbered by the enemy.  The warrior loaded his soldiers onto a boat, sailed to the enemy's country, unloaded soldiers and equipment - and then ordered his men to burn their ships - and they did!  Addressing his troops before the battle while they watched their  ships going up in smoke, the warrior told them, "We cannot leave these shores alive unless we win.  We now have no choice. We either win - or we perish!"  They won.

Those who would win and achieve Success - in any endeavor - must be willing to "burn their ships," cut all sources of retreat and commit without recourse.  Only by so doing can you maintain that state of mind necessary to Succeed.  It is really a matter of Desire and Intention.  When you play to "not lose," your Desire and Intention are woefully insufficient and lack the requisite strength and power to carry you to that which you merely wish ("wishing" and "desiring" are very different states of mind).  Playing to "not lose" is only playing the game to "survive" long enough until the clock hits zero, with the hope that what you have is enough.  Well, when you only play to survive, that is all that you will get.  On the other hand, when you play to WIN - and play it the way it should be played - your level of Desire, Intention and Commitment are strong, your Will is empowered and you either WIN or perish in the cause.  With so much at stake, there is really only one possible outcome: Success.

What is your game strategy?

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory.  Thanks, Crew!

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