Rule #73: Winning is a Deodorant
I recently read about the firing of Eagles’ coach Chip Kelly, and I kept seeing the same phrase pop up from sportswriters: “winning is a deodorant.”
It stuck with me.
Because if Chip had just one more win, he’d likely still be running that team. Winning would have covered up the stink of all his bad decisions—at least for another year. That’s the truth about sports: winning doesn’t just matter, it forgives. When the wins are coming, nobody cares how ugly it looks. When they stop, the smell becomes unbearable.
Now, I’m not saying every end justifies every means. But in football, winning is the purpose, not just the goal. That’s why we love it. That’s why Americans love it. We’re a culture that craves winning.
Look at politics. The reason Donald Trump gained traction back then was simple: people were tired of losing. They weren’t dissecting every insane comment; they just wanted someone who promised to “win” again. Losing stinks—and people will hold their nose and back anyone who can cover up the smell.
The same holds in business. I get frustrated by people who are satisfied with “almost winning.” They work hard, make good efforts, and put together solid proposals… but they don’t finish. They run 26 miles but stop short of the last 385 yards. A good effort makes you a strong runner, but only finishing makes you a marathoner. Winning matters more.
That message rubs people the wrong way, especially parents who want a softer world for their kids. But the truth is: effort without results doesn’t carry value. You don’t get promoted for “trying hard most days.” You don’t get rewarded for “not doing any harm.” You win by delivering results—getting the sale, fixing the problem, finishing the job.
This is why I worry about our society’s obsession with polishing participation. Making McDonald’s jobs pay $15 an hour doesn’t make them wins—it just makes them shinier participation trophies. What does count as winning is using that job as a stepping stone—working hard, moving up, and building a better future. That’s deodorant. That’s how you earn the sweet smell of success.
Winning is hard, but that’s what makes it matter. It’s addictive, too. Once you’ve tasted it, everything else stinks by comparison. Just ask a Phillies fan who remembers 1980.
And today? The Eagles stink especially bad.
Love, Dad