Being a winner

This quote came to my email last week (I get a quote for a daily “kick in the butt” from Runner’s World). :run:

Winners say what they want to happen.
Losers say what they feel will happen.
– Dr. Linda Bunker in Joan Samuelson’s Running for Women

And that struck me. It’s not just talking about winning running races, but it’s also about winning this race called life.

I’ve learned in my writing that by speaking in absolutes you come across as more powerful in your writing. It’s the difference in saying “this may happen” and “this will happen.” So I’m putting that into practice in more than just my writing, I’m going to make it part of my life.

My favorite quote is:

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams!
Live the life you’ve imagined!
– Henry David Thoreau

It’s not just imagining the life we want to have, it’s actively living it as if it were a reality that makes it happen.

I love a good check-list. It’s a sense of accomplishment to cross things off it.  Yesterday during the afternoon session of General Conference, Elder Robbins suggesting making not just to-do lists, but also to-be lists. Or, in other words…

Decide what you want to be….
Pay the price …
And be what you want to be.
– John A. Widtsoe

A life can be exciting when it is full of wonderful things to do. But a life is rich when it is full of wonderful things to be.