“I know what I have to do, and I’m going to do whatever it takes. If I do it, I’ll come out a winner, and it doesn’t matter what anyone else does.” – Florence Griffith Joyner
Florence Griffith Joyner aka Flo-Jo is one of my inspirations for more reasons than one. For those of you who don’t know, Flo-Jo is the fastest woman of all time. Both of the world records she set in 1988 for the 100-meter dash and the 200-meter dash still stand today. She is not only a track and field legend, but also a fashion icon who captured the attention of the crowd with her fashionable track uniforms, beauty, and of course her long nails. Growing up, I looked up to her because she dared to stand out. Flo-Jo truly exemplified what it meant to have a ‘winning season’ throughout her life and athletic career.
I believe it’s important to define what I mean by a winning season. Of course, a winning season can involve the large amounts of success and wins that a team experiences during the sports season. However, a winning season is so much more than that. In fact, it is not limited to just sports or athletes. A winning season is a mindset. The same mindset that Flo-Jo described as “know[ing] what [you] have to do… do[ing] whatever it takes…[and] com[ing] out a winner.” Your mindset is the driving force to helping you win and achieve your goals.
When trying to overcome obstacles and walk into your winning season it’s important to not compare yourself to others. Instead, focus on what you can do and go from there. Take a look at your overall goals. What are your short-term goals? What are your long-term goals? This is essential because it allows you to figure out the first steps that you need to take in order to walk into your winning season. If you keep your head in the game and focus on what you can accomplish daily, you can transform your lifestyle into a long-lasting winning season.
I am delighted to present the fifth issue of Nineteen Fifty-Six. I hope this magazine issue inspires you to walk into your winning season with confidence that you have what it takes to truly come out a winner.