In contrast, I find the old cliche, "It's not if you win or lose, but how you play the game that matters," holds true in ASL. I like to win, but I play to experience the richness of ASL. That's only possible with a "peer" opponent who can test me by exercising all the game's potential, at my expense. I enjoy the depth and breadth of the event, even if I lose. If my primary motivation was winning, I would seek out opponents who knew less about that rules, to better my chances; but the reverse is true.
That's why we have tournaments and a rating system, so people really know who is good at the game. Because people can't poach players at a disadvantage to boost their ratings very much. Although I've heard there are some who try by cherry-picking easy tournaments, it would take a lot of work to make sure you can avoid the better players at all the tournaments!
Currently, advancing the AREA rating is only possible at tournaments. It's very clear, in nearly all cases, the higher the rating one has, the better that player is.
Exploring the richness of ASL includes playing to win as a primary motivation, within the bounds of the rules (i.e. without cheating).
If that motivation is being avoided, something of the entire rich experience of ASL is lacking.
Whenever I hear that quote, someone is trying to comfort someone who had just been humiliated in a competition. It's like saying 'hey, you did your best, even though you got creamed, you played honestly, etc, blah blah blah.'
Reaching a goal is NOT less important than giving our best effort. I really don't like quotes that champion averageness and deflate excellence.
How about these instead:
Vince Lombardi
“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
Knute Rockne
“Show me a gracious loser and I’ll show you a failure.”
Billie Jean King
“A champion is afraid of losing. Everyone else is afraid of winning.”
Kobe Bryant
“Winning takes precedence over all. There’s no gray area. No almosts.”
Bill Parcells
“No matter how much you’ve won, no matter how many games, no matter how many championships, no matter how many Super Bowls, you’re not winning now, so you stink.”
Tiger Woods
“Winning solves everything.”
Mia Hamm
“The person that said winning isn’t everything, never won anything.”