"It is NEVER necessary to do the things you know are wrong, in order to achieve an important goal."

 “To win at any cost makes for hollow victories.” This was a quote I had once read from an article, and I find it to be very true. Lying, backstabbing, and cheating to get what you want is not, under any circumstances, the answer. Some of the greatest tragedies in the history of the world stemmed from the thoughts of a ruthless leader plotting his victory at the expense of other people’s lives. Other issues, like steroids being used in sports is pretty much the same thing, on a smaller scale. It is never necessary to do the things you know are wrong in order to achieve a goal, no matter how “important” it is to you. You simply cannot justify consciously making a choice that you know will have a negative effect on the people around you, just to get your way.

Admittedly, I personally have not really had any experience with this topic. However, I know that the “winning-at-any-cost” attitude is a common mindset amongst many teens today. An example: athletes. Casually brushed off by adults as “over competitive”, or “occasionally aggressive”, they tend to fly under the radar as nothing more than a promising sports player. However, some of these seemingly perfect athletes are prepared to do literally anything in order to get a trophy, medal or even to win a silly ribbon. Whether they turn to drugs, steroids, or simply playing dirty, their underlying intentions are clear: they are willing to do whatever it takes to win, no matter who gets hurt or in trouble in the process. And that is not okay! Even though this isn’t the most serious example, it is definitely real and relatable. And if these corrupted athletes have grown up thinking that what they are doing is okay, who knows what it may lead to when they grow older and get a job! What else might they be able to excuse then?

Now, you might be thinking – what’s wrong with having a goal? There is nothing wrong with having a goal, it is just the way that some people set about to achieve the goal that is the problem. Think about it this way: even Adolf Hitler had a goal. He wanted to “create” a wholly German nation where everyone was blond-haired and blue-eyed. He wanted to “purify” the Aryan race, through the elimination of “sub-humans” including Jews, Asians, black Africans, etc. This dream, this sick, sadistic dream, eventually led to the death of over 11 million people in the Holocaust. And yet, as callous a human as Hitler may have been... he was still a human. And despite everything, he probably did have a conscience. Which is why it is even more appalling that he did what he did, just to create that atrocious idea of perfection!

Both these scenarios– one on a larger scale and one on a smaller scale – are examples of why it is NEVER necessary to do the things you know are wrong in order to achieve an “important” goal. Although, hopefully, none of us can relate to causing the widespread death of 11 million people, I am sure we all know of a peer or a friend who has that “win-at-all-cost” mindset. And even though they may have temporary success with that attitude, it is bound to be their greatest downfall in the future. Justifying minor cases like playing dirty in soccer in order to win a game at our age may lead to more serious issues when they get older. So please, if you find that you are the kind of person who is willing to trample anyone to get to the top, think again, reconsider your actions, and do what you know is right. It will definitely benefit you more in the long run!