Born to Win Summary

"Winning isn't everything, but the desire to win is." Are you ready to unlock your full potential and succeed in every aspect of life?

1. Winning Begins with Desire and Vision

Success doesn’t start with just talent or luck – it begins with a desire to win and a vision of what winning means to you. Desire acts as the fuel that powers determination, while vision acts as the GPS directing you toward your goal. Together, they lay the foundation for success.

Zig Ziglar states that his personal vision ignited after a conversation with a respected supervisor who encouraged him to aim higher. Before that, he only worked to make ends meet, but after discovering a greater possibility, his desire for achievement kicked in. With this newfound drive, he developed a clear path to follow and began his journey toward becoming a top salesman.

Desire and vision spur two key behaviors: commitment and perseverance. Commitment keeps you laser-focused on your goals, no matter the distractions. Perseverance ensures you navigate obstacles and setbacks without giving up. The process of winning is hardly linear – challenges are inevitable, but they can't derail someone who is committed and driven by a strong desire to win.

Examples

• A star athlete visualizes themselves crossing the finish line and trains relentlessly on a clear schedule.
• Zig Ziglar pursued a sales career with renewed excitement after envisioning greatness.
• Aspiring entrepreneurs create business plans to manifest their ideas and stay focused.

2. The Right Goal Can Set Your Life on the Winning Path

Winning requires intentionality, and the goals you set act as your roadmap. Without clear goals, it’s easy to end up wandering through choices without achieving what actually matters to you. Specific goals, on the other hand, set you on a path to measurable success.

Start by being precise about your goals. For instance, instead of broadly aiming to “get healthier,” set a target to “exercise 30 minutes daily.” Next, outline the benefits of achieving this goal. Knowing the "why" behind your actions helps you remain enthusiastic and motivated, even when the journey is challenging.

Lastly, identify roadblocks and the skills or tools necessary to overcome them. Perhaps achieving financial independence requires financial education, or preparing for a marathon means downloading a training guide. Whatever the case, a detailed action plan transforms vague dreams into achievable milestones.

Examples

• An artist seeks to increase their online art sales by 50% in six months and creates a social media campaign plan.
• A student maps out a daily study schedule to ace their exams.
• Someone aiming to get fit commits to a list of healthy recipes and weekly workout classes.

3. Preparation Paves the Way to Achievement

You wouldn’t give a speech without practicing, would you? Proper preparation is the groundwork for success. From gathering practical skills to asking for support from mentors, preparation makes all the difference in achieving your goals.

The first step to preparation is becoming a lifelong learner. Ziglar read for three hours a day to deepen his expertise and gain new insights. Beyond learning, practice helps sharpen those skills. Just as children practicing to ride bikes eventually master coordination, repeated effort builds confidence and proficiency.

Mentorship is another cornerstone of preparation. Great mentors inspire, advise, and keep you accountable. Look for someone with experience who also demonstrates good character and is willing to see others succeed. They’ll help you navigate challenges and help you avoid unnecessary mistakes.

Examples

• Ziglar’s daily reading habit contributed to his transformation in business.
• A novice chef practices each dish repeatedly to perfect their recipes.
• Athletes seek advice from fitness coaches to refine techniques and improve performance.

4. Expect to Win by Nurturing Yourself

Winners don’t just aspire to win; they expect it. This mindset stems from nurturing every aspect of yourself – the spiritual, mental, and physical. Addressing these areas creates balance and sets you up for triumph.

Spiritual health connects you to values like love, faith, and gratitude. Ziglar found that committing to his faith gave him greater clarity and purpose in life, which translated to tangible success. This spiritual grounding helps you navigate life with positivity and confidence.

Similarly, mental growth is integral – train your mind to think creatively and absorb new information constantly. By expanding your perspective and challenging yourself intellectually, you are better equipped to face diverse challenges. And don’t forget to honor your body. Good health, fueled by regular exercise and a nutritious diet, improves performance in every area of life.

Examples

• A business leader practices mindfulness meditation to navigate stress effectively.
• A student dedicates time to reflecting on faith, which motivates their pursuit of impactful goals.
• An office worker adopts a meal-prep routine to boost their energy throughout the day.

5. Stop Worrying About What You Can’t Control

Once you’ve done the work – planning, preparing, and pursuing your goals – worrying about the outcome only wastes valuable energy. Winners understand that their role is to give full effort, not obsess over factors outside their control.

Worry manifests in unhelpful ways, such as fear of failure. It’s easy to let setbacks define you. However, Ziglar emphasizes that failure merely provides lessons, not identity. Another form of worry is imagining negative intentions in others – mind-reading rarely leads to accurate conclusions and often results in unnecessary frustration.

Instead, practice cultivating a positive mindset. Choose thoughts aligned with possibility and success, just as coaches energize their teams with words of encouragement rather than defeat.

Examples

• A pitcher focuses on throwing the perfect strike without fretting about the fans’ reactions.
• A rejected job applicant applies what they learned to refine their resume and approach.
• A team remains upbeat after a loss because they trust in their preparation for the next match.

6. Commit to Defining Your Own Value and Purpose

When you attach purpose to your goals, they become meaningful and worth enduring hardships for. Instead of coasting through your work, you suddenly have higher stakes that redefine how you approach challenges.

A simple analogy illustrates this: three workers cutting stone describe their actions differently. One says he's "cutting stone," another admits he’s "making money," while the third declares he’s "building a cathedral." The third worker sees purpose that energizes him far beyond material gains.

Consider how your ambitions impact not only yourself but others. Are they improving lives, solving problems, or inspiring growth? The broader the purpose, the harder you’ll push through obstacles.

Examples

• A teacher feels accomplished helping students thrive instead of just collecting a paycheck.
• A scientist researches cures, motivated by the thought of saving lives.
• A volunteer builds homes with a goal of uplifting communities.

7. Surround Yourself with the Right People

The company you keep strongly influences your ability to win. Encourage yourself by surrounding yourself with individuals who inspire, uplift, and support your ambitions. Discouragers and naysayers should be avoided entirely.

Cheerleaders, or encouragers, can take many forms. Perhaps you connect with a highly successful entrepreneur for advice or rely on a supportive friend during difficult stages. Their attitudes can lift you on hard days, reminding you of your capabilities.

At the same time, good influences challenge you – they’ll tell you the truth when needed and push you to aim even higher.

Examples

• A musician finds motivation from peers passionate about pursuing music dreams.
• An amateur coder joins a club to meet experienced software professionals.
• A young athlete benefits from the mentorship of a dedicated coach.

8. Persistence Beats Talent Every Time

Often, it isn’t the most talented individuals who win but those who show the greatest persistence. Life rewards consistency and effort more than sporadic brilliance. Staying committed, even after setbacks, eventually brings rewards.

Persistence might involve building stamina through daily actions. One writer commits to writing 500 words every morning, while another who writes irregularly never gains traction. The consistent writer progresses steadily to complete their novel.

Effort and focus bridge the gap between average ability and greatness, ensuring you make incremental progress even when success feels far off.

Examples

• A marathon runner adds one mile per week to their training until ready for the race.
• A small business owner turns around a failing shop by incrementally improving customer retention.
• An actor auditions tirelessly, undeterred by early rejections.

9. Positivity is the Ultimate Winning Edge

A winning mindset thrives on positivity. While negativity fuels doubt, fear, and procrastination, positivity fosters resilience and creativity. Choosing an encouraging mindset isn’t a mere cliché – it directly influences outcomes.

Imagine an underdog sports team that plays believing they’ll lose. They’ll likely sabotage their own performance. But by believing in their victory, they give themselves a far better shot. Your thoughts create self-fulfilling energy – optimism propels you further.

Set an intention daily to focus on what’s working and stop fixating on disappointments.

Examples

• A dejected singer switches their mindset before a performance and wows the crowd.
• A manager motivates employees by emphasizing achievements rather than failures.
• A rookie chess player, despite initial losses, believes the final game is theirs to win.

Takeaways

1. Create a list of clear, measurable goals and keep adding deadlines to ensure progress is tangible.
2. Seek out trustworthy mentors with expertise aligned to your aspirations and ask for their ongoing feedback.
3. Combat negativity by deliberately replacing negative self-talk with empowering affirmations daily.