I Am a Sore Loser

            Today, our companies 2014 Safety Slogan was unveiled. Last year was my first year competing and first year winning it. This year there was no triumph, only disappointment. I submitted close to 15 slogans, some more thoughtful than others. I feel I have a real knack for these types of contest. Alas, the winner's slogan was announced. When it wasn't mine, I realized how sore of a loser I am. I started to criticize right away instead of seeing that another employee worked just as hard as me to make his/her mark on our company. I think sometimes being a sore loser gets confused with having a passion for your creation. Wanting to be the best is a natural feeling. When you feel that you have given it your best, but still don't bring home the prize, there is a little feeling of spite towards the winner. The only reason I can think of that this feeling arises is that it is more of a jealousy than a dislike that you feel. You want to be the one getting the congratulations and attaboys. Instead, I was left with the feeling that only a select few got to see my creation and to them it just wasn't good enough. I keep thinking if it was on a bigger stage where the company could vote, it just might have made it. But, I just have to realize that just because it didn't get the vote of a committee, doesn't mean that they weren't some of the most creative ideas I have had. The sore loser part is more or less a projection of feeling rejected. I personally thought my slogan was the best, but it just goes to show that sometimes what you think you have is gold, but winds up being silver in the eye of the beholder. On the brightside, I have a friend who has recently started up an energy solutions company that was more than happy to consider my slogans. Looks like it all goes back to the old saying that one man's trash is another man's treasure. 

Update on this: Won the slogan competition the next year with the same slogan.