Winning Every Damn Day - Even If No One Else Notices

“Winning makes sense only when the game feels true to you.” — Iñaki de la Parra

Let me share something I’ve learned the hard way:

Most of us spend years chasing someone else’s definition of success, winning, or happiness.

We don’t always mean to—we just copy.

Sometimes we’re aware of it, sometimes we’re not.

It comes from sport, from business, from what we see online, or from family stories we never stopped to question.

We follow models that worked for someone else, thinking if we just push hard enough, we’ll get the same outcome. But here’s the trap:

If you copy a game, you also copy the rules.

And if you play by someone else’s rules, you’ll probably lose.

Even if you “win.”

The Game You Didn’t Know You Were Playing

Athletes fall for this all the time. Business people too. And in relationships? Even worse.

You start chasing podiums, PRs, profits, followers, fancy dinners, status… whatever looks like "success" from the outside.

And yeah, you might get there.

You might even beat the guy next to you.

But if the game wasn’t yours to begin with—if the definition of winning wasn’t yours—you’ll get the win, but not the joy.

You'll look good on paper, and feel empty inside.

I know. I’ve been there.

When I started racing elite, I was obsessed with breaking the Ironman record in Mexico at the time. I trained hard. I had the fitness. I gave it everything.
It never happened. Not because I didn’t try, but because I couldn’t control all the factors on race day. Weather, heat, gut issues—you name it.

Later, I realized—almost with disbelief—that chasing that record wasn’t even something I truly wanted.

t was a goal I adopted because I needed more validation after winning the Ultraman World Championship.

I wasn’t chasing performance. I was probably chasing self-worth.