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The words of Gordie Howe—“You find that you have peace of mind and can enjoy yourself, get more sleep, and rest when you know that it was a one hundred percent effort that you gave—win or lose.”—speak not only to the athlete on the ice, but to every soul that strives in the great arena of life. They remind us of a truth older than kingdoms: that true rest, true peace, does not come from victory alone, but from the knowledge that one has poured forth the whole of one’s being, holding nothing back.

The ancients knew this well. For they taught that fortune, fickle and wild, can raise a man today and cast him down tomorrow. Victory lies partly in our hands, but much also in the winds of chance. To tie your peace of mind to outcomes alone is to make yourself a slave to fortune’s wheel. Yet if you give your hundred percent effort, if you leave nothing undone, then no loss can rob you of dignity, and no failure can steal your rest. You have conquered yourself, and that is the highest victory.

Consider the life of Howe himself, called “Mr. Hockey,” who played the game with unmatched strength and spirit across decades. He did not win every match, nor score every goal. But he earned a legacy greater than numbers because he lived this truth—he gave his full measure every time he stepped on the ice. Win or lose, he carried himself with the peace of one who knew he had emptied his soul into the struggle. That is why even his rivals spoke his name with respect, for they knew he played as one who withheld nothing.

History too bears witness. Think of Leonidas and the three hundred at Thermopylae. They did not emerge victorious in the eyes of men, for they fell before the might of Persia. Yet their stand endures in memory, because they gave their all, fighting with unbroken spirit until the last breath. They lost the battle, but they gained the eternal peace of those who know they did not falter, and their sacrifice lit a fire of courage in all Greece. Thus we see: peace of mind is not found in victory alone, but in total devotion to the task.

Howe’s words also carry a warning for our restless age. Many lie awake at night, tormented not by defeat but by regret—by the knowledge that they did not give their best, that they shrank from the challenge, that they left their strength unused. This is the torment of the half-hearted, and it eats away at the soul far more than any loss. Better to fall after giving all, than to win while knowing you held back.

The lesson for us, then, is clear. Whatever your task—be it in work, in study, in art, in love—give it wholly. Do not measure yourself against the applause of others or the trophies of the world, but against the quiet question of your own conscience: “Did I give everything within me?” If you can answer yes, then whether the world crowns you or casts you aside, you will sleep soundly and wake without regret.

Practically, this means embracing discipline. Train your body, sharpen your mind, and devote yourself fully when the hour of testing comes. Do not waste time in excuses or in fear of failure, for these are the thieves of peace. When you act, act with your full strength. When you rest, rest fully, knowing you have earned it. In this way, you will walk in the spirit of Howe’s wisdom—tireless in effort, fearless in outcome, and always at peace with yourself.

So let this truth echo within you: “Peace of mind is born not in victory, but in wholehearted effort—win or lose.” Give all, and you will fear nothing. Hold back, and you will be haunted forever. The ancients knew it, Howe lived it, and now it is entrusted to you. Take it, live it, and rest in the peace that belongs only to the wholehearted.