Sometimes you may be tempted to take a short cut - To do something dishonest or dishonorable such as copying or cheating. The fear of failure or the desire for success may tempt you to take the road of dishonor. Fear urges you, 'Come on! Act quickly before sometimes sees you.' Desire says, 'No one will know and you will be happy.'
Yes, indeed, there is temptation at every turn but there are lessons we can draw from our traditions and history.
When a competitive situation comes along, first ask yourself this question - 'What wil happen if I don't win?' Except in a few cases, such as fighting disease or fire, the opposite of 'Victory' is not 'defeat', If you do not win prizes in a music or essay competition, you are not a 'loser' because you have actually lost nothing! On the contrary, you have gained experience, knowledge and confidence. It is only the prize that you have not won. So never say, 'I spent so many hours preparing and practising and I have nothing to show for it.' By competing fairly, you are investing your future.
If you decide to go down that path no one may know. But you will know! You will respect yourself less.
When the one Great Scorer comes to write against your name, he writes - not that you won or lost, but how you played the Game - Grantland Rice
