The Winner Takes It All

The truth is I don’t know how it all began.

Maybe it started with my first gold medal in Math back in my third grade. Or watching a dear friend read her graduation speech one Thursday afternoon. Or the fact that I don’t know how to swim, play a guitar or deliver an impromptu speech very well.

Thinking about it now, how it all started seems trivial. I believe one’s main attitude towards life can’t be defined by one single moment (unless it’s one very life-changing/traumatic moment), it’s a series. Of a moment after moment after moment that shapes winners to be whom they are.

I got my first achievement in third grade for a Math quiz bee. Before that, I’m not anybody so it was a surprise for many that I actually won. And even after that, I wasn’t “somebody” too, didn’t got me instant popularity as cheerleaders and athletes. Nerds weren’t the best people to cheer you know.

So by the time I learned that being good in academics won’t make me lots of friends as being fair-skinned can, I was at a loss because by then I don’t know of any talents I have than getting good grades. But it was alright, I have a small intimate circle of friends and a bunch of little clinking medals after.

Getting older, I focused and did what I do best and most of the time in high school, I was rewarded with that. When I got in UP for college, I knew I will have a hard time to be a winner among a sea of winners so I kinda gave that up and enjoyed the college/UP freedom and you know what I found out.

I’ve learned that being a winner does not limit me in academic aspects, I had lots of friends and I’m not fair-skinned, a cheerleader or an athlete. I became a leader of an academic organization and the editor-in-chief of a newsletter. Graduating college with flying colors made me happy, but doing more than just achieving excellence in academics fulfilled me. I realized I am capable of more choices than when I graduated high school.

So now, a year into the real world and I’m still a winner. Recently, I was able to pass the first actuarial exam in one take

Got my name printed in COSMO magazine, it was short but cute and yes, it made me happy

And now has one of Cory Aquino’s copy of a Hello Kitty painting when I submitted an essay for a Mother’s Day tribute. (I’m seriously thinking of writing as a serious to-wile-away-the-time hobby!)

The truth is, at first I thought winners are too self-absorbed individuals who likes to get ahead of everybody and boast about it after. But losers are a more appropriate term for those people. Winners are much more different, even if you started it because you wanted to be noticed. Because who wouldn’t want to be notice eh? Winners – they’re those who overuse their God-given gifts to the brim. And then use it again to inspire others to do the same.

I would love to think about my achievements that way, no matter how personal they are sometimes, that they can be used to inspire others. With this thought, it’s a win-win situation for everyone but mostly for the winner himself.

In the end, maybe the song got it right. The winner takes it all. :)

PS. I know you're also a winner so go tell Jayson your winning story here and get to inspire!