How to win even when you have no chance of winning

• Winning does not always mean coming first: it can mean overcoming one’s limits and finding personal satisfaction along the way.

• Like Jannik Sinner, he chose tennis because, unlike skiing, it allowed him to make up for mistakes, identify activities where you can best express your qualities.

• Don’t just focus on the end result; enjoy every step of the way and learn from your mistakes to continuously improve.

You probablyalso train constantly, strive to improve, but you know you will never win a marathon or a major competition.
But what does “winning” mean when you have no chance of finishing first?
This dilemma affects not only those who run to compete but anyone who engages in competitive activity without professional ambitions.
Realizing this can be daunting.
You look at the results and ask yourself, “What’s the point of all this effort if I can’t win?”
At this point it is easy to view your efforts as futile and to think about giving up, to stop believing in your abilities, and to see your passion turn into a source of stress.

Sinner’s lesson and the art of winning in a different way

This is where the example of Jannik Sinner comes in, giving us a different perspective.
During an interview he was asked why he stopped competing on skis, and he replied, “Although I ski better than I play tennis, I chose tennis because skiing doesn’t allow mistakes. You make one and you probably can’t win anymore. In tennis you can make several, you accept them and move on [so you have time to correct and recover them, ed.].”
This sentence, seemingly a joke, actually encapsulates a valuable lesson about how a champion deals with challenges.
Sinner did not choose tennis because it is easier, but because it offers more room to correct and learn from mistakes.
He identified a sport in which his qualities could emerge most effectively.
His is an example of strategic intelligence: it is not just about being strong, but about being able to identify the context in which you can excel.

Okay, but I don’t play tennis

I can already hear you saying, “How do you apply this mindset to running?”
For many amateurs, “winning” does not mean crossing the finish line first, but achieving personal goals, surpassing one’s limits, and finding satisfaction in each progress.
Victory, in this case, is not a podium finish, but continuous improvement and enjoyment of the course.
Running is an excellent example of how one can “win” without being the best, or, in other words, how winning can make sense even without winning. Only very few can win a marathon, but every runner can win his or her own personal race.
This may sound like just a pathetic consolation to you, but it is actually a powerful philosophy that transforms the perception of success.
How to use it to your advantage?

1. Define your goal: Whether it’s to improve your time, complete a longer distance, or just enjoy each run, setting a personal goal will help keep you motivated.
2. Use your strengths: Just as Sinner chose tennis, choose races or distances that best suit your abilities.
   If you are more resilient than fast, long runs might be your ideal terrain.
   It’s pointless and even a little silly to stubbornly pursue races you’re not cut out for.
3. Learn from your mistakes: every race, every training session is an opportunity to improve.
   Do not fear mistakes, but use them as a stimulus to grow.
   They are not verdicts of fate but only anticipations of corrections you will have to make if you want to improve.
4. Enjoy the process-don ‘t just focus on the end result.
   The real victory is learning to enjoy the journey and the small milestones achieved day by day.

There are many kinds of victories

Think of those runners who, although they have never won anything, have found enormous satisfaction in the races they have done.
There are those who run to raise money for charitable causes, those who started running to lose weight and turned running into a passion that incredibly improved their lives.
These people won, not because they came first, but because they achieved something meaningful to them.
True success in running, and in many other areas of life, is not necessarily about winning over others, but winning over oneself.

Victory is a personal thing

Sinner’s lesson teaches you that a winning mindset is not necessarily one that gets you to the podium, but one that allows you to make the most of your abilities and find satisfaction in your running.
In running, as in life, it’s not always about being the strongest, it’s about being smart about defining what winning means to you.
So the next time you feel discouraged, remember: your victory is unique and personal.
Define your goals, enjoy the journey, and you will always be a winner, even without a medal around your neck.