There are some people who seem to breeze through life, rejoicing from one triumph to the next. By contrast, there are others who never quite make it, and always have a reason why life has dealt them a hard blow. Society is made up of victors and victims, and the difference can very often be boiled down to one key factor – attitude.

When moving in a new career direction, it’s essential to learn the habits of the victor to achieve a successful outcome. The victims attempt actions in a timid manner, hoping for good things, but never really believing they’re worthy of great things. Victors commit mentally to a successful outcome, and back their actions with emotion.

Imagine two tennis players who’re about to play for a championship. The first says “It’s my final chance – I’ll give it my best shot,” but the second says “Winning is my destiny.” Guess who’ll win the tournament? They may both put in the same practice hours, but the victor spends more time on his mental training to win.

The victor is defined by the word OAR – a figure paddling towards success. The victim is defined by the word BED – one who stays in bed and gives up. OAR = Ownership, Accountability and Responsibility. BED = Blame, Excuses and Denial.

The victor takes responsibility for his or her tasks, and doesn’t hope for someone else to lead the way. He’s accountable for his actions, so takes them seriously, and sees things through by tackling problems not creating them. He doesn’t take excuses from himself and is responsible for the outcome of his actions.

The victim can always come up with a reason for not achieving, and it’s rarely to do with himself. Everything is always somebody else’s fault – he doesn’t feel in control so puts the blame at someone else’s door. He gives excuses for his lack of performance, and doesn’t realise the only person he’s convincing is himself. After repeating this pattern of blame and excuses for a while, the victim is in denial, absolutely convinced that there’s nothing he can do about this situation.

Students about to embark on a life-changing training course should give themselves a mental work-out, to prepare for success. Anybody who relates to the victim mentality will have to look at these issues before they start, to take full advantage of the potential in front of them.

Both sets of attitudes are just habits, and with constant repetition, habits can be changed. Listen to the voice inside your head – if it sounds like a victim, then stop it and verbalise why you can achieve. No one is any better than you – some have just fought their demons and emerged victorious.

To quote Winston Churchill, “There is no such thing as a hero, only those who rise to the occasion”. In learning as well as in life, we must have the attitude of a winner to allow ourselves to become a winner.

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