Picking your circle
For some people, winning means they obtained the medal; for others it means finishing with your character in tact.
Some fail to see how the journey affects the arrival; others realize the journey was the point.
Being with the people who stand on the opposite side of your character views can damage every moment in which you find joy. They'll either pull you from each step and each memory will be hurried and pained; or they'll fail to cheer as loudly as you when you're handed your medal.
Either way, your overall life will be based in a friction with your circle. So make sure you have the right circle.