Although I don't make a lot of time to watch television, I must confess that there is one show that I watch religiously - NBC's The Apprentice. This has been particularly true since one of its contestants, Chris Russo, signed on with DASH Publishing to produce his first book, BRO - Beating Ridiculous Odds. For the last several weeks, I've planted myself in front of the TV each Thursday evening to root Chris on to victory.

Well, as you may know, Chris was fired on last Thursday's show. And while I was sad for his run on the show to end, I was extremely proud of how he presented himself. I was particularly impressed with his farewell interview.

If you've ever seen the show, then you know that at the end of each episode, the person who was just fired makes his parting remarks from the backseat of a taxi. In many cases, this person, who is understandably disappointed, uses this interview as an opportunity to blast the other contestants or even Donald Trump for firing them. Chris Russo didn't do either of these things. Instead, he took the time to remark how incredibly fortunate he was to have the opportunity to be on the show. He also expressed gratitude for having a successful business and a loving wife waiting for him. In his words, "Given that, any complaints on my part would just be selfish."

Over the last two months, I've had the good fortune to spend a great deal of time with this impressive young man but even still, I was blown away by his comments. Despite just experiencing defeat, he came away as a winner. We could all learn a lesson from Chris in this regard.

Winning in Defeat (Part II)

First of all, instead of dwelling on the defeat of that evening, Chris focused on the victory he earned to even get to that position. Over one million people went out for the second season of The Apprentice. To finish 9th out of 1,000,000 is quite an accomplishment. He is rightly proud to have gotten that far. Likewise, you should be proud of your progress even when it doesn't result in ultimate victory. Be grateful for finishing third in your company's sales contest. Sure, you would have liked to have won but don't let your disappointment at missing the ultimate prize keep you from celebrating your success. When you look at it from the proper perspective, most of your so-called "failures" contain much more victory than defeat.

Second, Chris had the good sense to thank Donald Trump for the opportunity. This certainly couldn't have been easy but it was the right thing to do. It was also the smart thing to do. I suspect that Donald Trump went away from the experience with a positive attitude about Chris. Should their paths cross in the future, this might work to Chris' advantage. Therefore, the next time you're rejected by a potential customer or employer, make sure to express your sincere appreciation for being considered in the first place. If things change in the future (and they always do), you stand a much better chance of being reconsidered.

Third, and perhaps most importantly, Chris didn't focus on what he lost. Instead, he focused on what he had left. He immediately turned his attention to the good things in his life - his prospering business and his loving wife, who at the time, was pregnant with their first child (they now have a handsome and healthy little boy). Chris counted his blessings. You should do the same. If you fail to get the promotion, be grateful that you still have a job. Millions of people in this economy would love to be in your position. And even if you get fired, be grateful that you have a loving family and supportive friends. Once again, not everyone has these things.

Now, you may be wondering why I'm spending so much time on the subject of losing. After all, aren't we all trying to be winners? Sure. But let's face the facts. Losing is a bigger part of life than winning is. Think about it. The best baseball players on the planet fail to get a hit every 7 out of 10 times they come to the plate. A great golfer will lose all but one or two tournaments he enters each year. Most businesses fail. Most marriages fail. Failure is the norm.

Therefore, if you allow yourself to be crushed every time you lose, you're in big trouble. You have to find a way to pick yourself back up and get ready for the next round. The best way to do this is to follow in Chris Russo's footsteps. First, focus on the success you achieved in the situation. Second, be grateful and express your thanks. Third, count your other blessings. Following these steps, you can turn almost any defeat into an ultimate victory.