I’m a huge fan of the Food Network, not so much for the cooking but for the lessons on life that I see play out.  I also like the fact that it’s very PG and gives good clean entertainment.

Most recently, there was a competition for The Next Iron Chef.  It wasn’t a regular competition though – it was the superstars of the various food shows, from Robert Irvine to Alex Guarneschelli.  It was ultimately won by Geoffrey Zakarian.  At one point, he was in the bottom two, battling with Anne Burrell to not be eliminated.  In a side interview with Anne, she made the observation how every winner of The Next Iron Chef is in the bottom two at some point, fighting to survive.

I’d seen that played out in other competitions on the Food Network as well.  It’s a common theme, how slippery the slope is to winning.  Competitors in this version of The Next Iron Chef were the best of the best, making it even worse.  The mistakes that caused elimination were small – I’d not have wanted to be a judge.

Anne Burrell’s observation also had a second point to it, that it was possible to battle back and win.  She didn’t in that round, but Geoff Zakarian did and ultimately took the grand prize of being the next Iron Chef.

It’s a good lesson for life.  Sometimes we’re on top, sometimes on the bottom.  I’ve been a winner and a loser at work, but being a loser doesn’t mean I have to stay there.  Sometimes it’s a matter of keeping my head down until someone else becomes the latest problem.  Other times, it means being a superstar at the next project.  It can be discouraging at the time though to be on the bottom.

It helps to remember that being at the bottom doesn’t last forever unless I’m truly that bad, in which case I need to do something different in my life.  Anne Burrell is a successful woman and continues to be.  She lost on this slippery slope, but she’s not a loser.  This loss will most likely lead to other opportunities in her career and we will continue to see her on the Food Network.

As for me, I will keep this in mind when I’m discouraged.  Things happen, but I can overcome.

I only exhibited my needlepoint this one time, but I got an honorable mention!  I was so proud of it.

Word for tomorrow – SCARE.  If you prefer to work ahead, see the list for the week under “A Word A Day”.

Life Lessons battling back Food Network losers postaday2011 The Next Iron Chef winners