Why I Have Always Believed in Win-Win
People often say that success means beating someone else.
Many believe that to move up, someone else must move down.
I have heard that idea many times throughout my life.
But I have never truly believed it.
During my career, I always tried to follow one simple principle.
Win-Win.
Not because I had read it in a business book.
Not because someone taught me.
It simply felt natural to me.
I believed that my success was never mine alone.
It was built together with the people around me.
When my team succeeded, I succeeded.
When my students grew, I grew as a teacher.
When my friends enjoyed a round of golf, I enjoyed it even more.
Of course, life is not always easy.
There were difficult moments when I briefly wondered,
"If I want to survive, do others have to lose?"
But those thoughts never stayed with me for long.
Deep inside, they never felt like me.
Yesterday reminded me of that once again.
We played a friendly golf game with a small prize on each hole.
I struggled badly on the front nine.
On the back nine, my game came back, and I won most of the holes.
In the end, I had already won enough money.
There was only a small amount left.
A younger friend smiled and said,
"You take it."
Instead, I smiled back.
"You made a birdie today and even gave the caddie a generous tip. You keep it. I've already won enough."
It was only a small amount of money.
But something interesting happened.
The atmosphere became even warmer.
We laughed more.
We encouraged one another.
The golf cart became filled with smiles instead of competition.
At that moment, I realized something.
Win-Win is not about money.
It is about creating a day that everyone remembers with happiness.
Looking back, I think I understand myself a little better now.
Perhaps I have always been someone who feels happiest when the people around me are happy.
That may simply be my nature.
And honestly,
I wouldn't want to live any other way.
KR Summary
많은 사람들은 성공은 누군가를 이겨야 얻을 수 있다고 생각한다. 하지만 나는 직장 생활을 하면서도 늘 Win-Win을 가장 중요한 원칙으로 삼았다. 누군가를 밟고 올라가는 성공보다, 함께 성장하는 성공이 더 오래간다고 믿었기 때문이다.
어제 골프에서도 그 생각을 다시 확인했다. 전반에는 힘들었지만 후반에 좋은 플레이를 하며 충분히 돈을 땄다. 마지막 3,000원을 후배가 나에게 양보하려 했지만, 버디를 하고 캐디에게 팁까지 준 후배에게 다시 돌려주었다.
돈은 작은 금액이었지만, 그 순간 분위기는 더욱 따뜻해졌다. 서로 웃고 칭찬하며 하루를 마무리할 수 있었다.
돌이켜보면 나는 누군가가 행복해질 때 함께 행복해지는 사람인 것 같다.
그래서 지금도 Win-Win은 전략이 아니라, 내가 가장 편안하게 살아가는 방식이라고 믿는다.
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