Why We Need to Honor the Effort, Not Just the Win

Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to win?

After watching the Toronto Blue Jays lose to the LA Dodgers in Game 7 of the World Series, I found myself reflecting. Not just on the game, but on something bigger. The final game went into the 11th inning. It was an incredible match. Both teams were strong. It could have gone either way.

But that loss felt personal. It felt like Canada, as a country, really needed a win. Maybe it was about more than baseball. Maybe it felt like our chance to stand up and be counted.

Especially after the past year. Ever since “President Soft Taco” came into the picture, it’s felt like Canada has been trying to play nice with someone who bullies, doesn’t keep his word, and spins lies without consequence. Growing up, I understood leaders to be honest and respectful. They were supposed to serve others, not themselves. But lately, the example set by some of the world’s most visible leaders makes it hard to keep believing that.

And for me, that stirred up some old feelings. I was bullied as a kid, and it feels like Canada has been bullied over the last nine months too. That kind of pressure and disappointment can really mess with you.

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Maybe we put too much weight on that baseball series. Maybe we asked too much of those young Blue Jays players. But they showed up. They gave it everything. They played like giants.

This got me thinking. Why are we so upset when we fall short of a goal? Why do we treat it like we’ve failed completely?

I’m choosing to look at it differently. Those young men didn’t just play baseball — they grew. They stayed in the fight until the very last inning of the very last game. That’s not failure. That’s courage.

I ask myself, and I ask you:
Are you putting too much pressure on yourself to hit every target?
Do you define yourself by whether you achieve the result?
And if you don’t, do you pile on extra meaning — all your past failures, the people you’ve let down, the times you weren’t chosen, or didn’t feel good enough?

I do. I’ve done it all my life.

But what I’m learning is this: we can honor the effort we put into hitting the target, even when we fall short. Sometimes the other team plays better. Sometimes life gets in the way. But the effort still matters. The growth still counts. These are the teachable moments.

So maybe the real question is: what can we learn from it all? What do we need to let go of so we’re not crushed by disappointment? Are we losing sight of the journey because we’re obsessed with the scoreboard?

This has been a really hard year for me and my family.

I lost my father on January 1st.
In April, my wife was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer.
And my oldest brother is waiting for a lung transplant.

The pressure is building. Taking time off this summer to be with my family was the right thing to do, but it also meant I fell behind on business goals I set at the start of the year.

And honestly, I’ve been feeling it. That nagging voice that says, “You’re not enough.” That I’m failing. That I’ve missed the mark.

But I’ve also realized something: I’m still showing up. For my family. For my business. For myself.

I’m doing the hard things. I’m making sure my wife and girls are cared for during chemo. I’m keeping the business going, even when it’s hard. I haven’t broken down — and honestly, that’s something I’m proud of.

What’s helping me is a program I’ve been quietly building over the past year — something I’m using myself. It’s focused on mental health, stress, fear, anxiety, and burnout. I’ve been living every bit of it, and it’s helping me keep going. It’s also made me even more committed to sharing it with others who are overwhelmed and trying to hold it all together.

This program is going to help people who are struggling with stress and anxiety — not just to survive, but to grow through it. To find strength. To ask for help. To not burn out.

As I finish this, I want to invite you to do something:

Let go of the numbers. The targets. The goals that are weighing you down.

Instead, take a moment to honour the effort you’ve put in — to grow, to show up, to keep going. You’ve made it this far, and that’s something to be proud of.

Let go of the opinions and judgments of others.
Stay focused on the journey.
Get the support you need.
And keep moving forward.

I hope you have a good day — and that you get what you need on your journey through life.