Win or Lose, The Election Isn’t Over: What Both Sides Need to Do Now
How to Turn Disappointment or Victory into Real, Purpose-Driven Change
Post-Election Blues? Here’s What Both Sides Need to Hear
Election season has just wrapped up, and it’s left us in a starkly divided state. Half of the country feels elated, on top of the world, as if their side has finally won the change they need. But the other half? They feel lost, off-balance, uncertain about the future, maybe even scared. This division brings a need for reflection, no matter which side you find yourself on. Both winners and losers have a choice in how to respond to this moment—and that choice matters.
For the losing side, there’s a powerful temptation to fight back. We see it everywhere—anger, disillusionment, a desire to double down and resist. But there’s a better way to channel that energy. The real progress you’re after isn’t won by mirroring the division that put us here in the first place. Instead, there’s a need for focus, for speaking louder and smarter. Focus on what truly matters—your core values—and let this setback be the fuel that drives you to move forward with purpose and clarity.
On the other side, victory brings its own challenge. Winning can feel like proof that you were right, that you have the answers. But with that feeling comes a new responsibility: to reflect on the impact of your choice, to ensure that you’re holding your side accountable. It’s easy to ride the high of a win without looking back, without wondering if perhaps your choice wasn’t as clear-cut as it seems. The winners must approach this outcome with humility, recognizing the possibility of error and the need to hold their side to the highest standard.
What Both Sides Need to Focus On: Purpose Over Emotion
Let’s get one thing straight: fighting fire with fire never brings real progress. Lies are not conquered by more lies; cruelty is never cured by more cruelty. We cannot create unity by deepening our divides. If you’re part of the side that lost, it’s time to ask yourself: how can you respond in a way that doesn’t just add more anger to an already turbulent world? The answer lies in focused purpose.
We all have knee-jerk responses: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. But there’s a fifth option that rarely gets attention—a response that goes beyond reacting and instead relies on action that matters. This option is focus. Not the kind of focus that obsesses over news feeds and feeds frustration, but the kind that aligns with your deeper purpose. It’s about using your unique strengths, your personal values, and your passions to make a positive impact.
Here’s how it breaks down:
Fight – Instead of engaging in hostility, let your purpose be your “fight.” Build something meaningful. Stand firm on your values, not as a reaction to others but as a commitment to what you believe in.
Flight – Running away feels easy, but real strength means staying engaged. Use your voice, use your creativity, but do it wisely and thoughtfully. Silence isn’t the answer, but neither is reactionary outburst.
Freeze – Freezing in the face of opposition leaves you sidelined. Your voice, perspective, and purpose matter more than ever now. Don’t let the fear of opposition stop you from contributing your unique strengths to the world.
Fawn – Avoid the temptation to appease or bend to popular opinion at the cost of your own values. Stand firm in what matters to you and focus on creating meaningful change, even if it’s not the easiest path.
And for the winners, focusing on purpose means remembering that real progress takes humility and accountability. Winning doesn’t mean you can now coast without consequence or introspection. It means you have a responsibility to hold your side to its own values. A win without accountability is a hollow victory.
If You Lost: Use This Moment to Speak Louder and Smarter, Not Angrier
When we’re disappointed, it’s natural to want to shout, to try and make others see our frustration. But ask yourself: is this reaction truly aligned with what you want to achieve? If you feel your side lost because your values were overshadowed, then now is the time to amplify those values—not with rage, but with focus and clarity.
Remember, fighting with hostility rarely changes minds. Real influence comes from showing others, through your actions, the value of what you believe. Speak louder, yes, but also speak smarter. Be strategic. Be compassionate. Instead of sowing more division, choose to create bridges of understanding, even if it feels like an uphill battle. True power lies in purpose, not in winning an argument.
If You Won: Celebrate With Humility and Hold Yourself Accountable
Victory can be a blinding force. When our side wins, it feels like validation. But this is where caution is needed most. Are you willing to recognize that your side’s “victory” is only as valuable as the integrity it upholds? Ask yourself, will you hold your chosen leaders to the standard of being true leaders—those who aim to unify, not divide? The risk of victory is complacency, the assumption that winning means you were right and that the work is over. It’s not.
Winning is an opportunity to set an example. If you truly believe in the values that led to this victory, then you must be vigilant about holding your side accountable to them. True winners take responsibility for their choice, not blindly but with a willingness to acknowledge if they were wrong and correct course if necessary. This is what sets apart the wise from the arrogant, the compassionate from the self-righteous.
Focus: Transform Division into Purpose-Driven Action
At the heart of both disappointment and celebration lies a choice. Do we continue the cycles of reactionary conflict, or do we choose purpose? The Next Level Human approach—an approach grounded in growth, wisdom, and self-reflection—calls on us to choose the latter.
This is a time to let go of old patterns and take a stand, not by shouting the loudest, but by focusing on the deeper work that needs to be done. For the disappointed, this means speaking from a place of resolve and clear intention. For the victorious, it means celebrating with grace and responsibility.
Whether you find yourself elated or disheartened by the election, let this moment inspire a commitment to create positive change. Move beyond the reactionary pull of division and focus on the work you alone can do in this world. Build, create, engage. If we can each hold ourselves to this higher standard, we’ll find the world moving closer toward unity, purpose, and true progress.
Key Takeaways for Both Sides
For the “losers”: This is the time to double down on your values. Speak smarter, not angrier. Focus on what matters, and be the change you want to see without feeding the fires of division.
For the “winners”: Celebrate humbly and remember that winning is only the beginning. Hold yourself and your choice accountable to a standard of integrity, compassion, and inclusivity.
This is your opportunity to embody what it means to be a Next Level Human. It’s time to let go of reactive, divisive instincts and, instead, choose to lead with purpose, empathy, and a vision that goes beyond personal victory or defeat. This is your moment. Will you choose to focus on what matters and become a force for real, meaningful change?
Jade, this makes the assumption that the leader of the winning side has integrity, views inclusion as a benefit, and will play by the rules. However he does not. I am happy to focus on my purpose, however that doesn't work when the winning side is poised to change all the rules.