I like to remind myself of this story when I find things are not quite going my way. I think one can apply this to anything. 

If you feel you have already lost and resign yourself to defeat you can 'try softer'. You may find that now you are free from the competitive burden of trying to win, you may perform better than you ever have.  

A young boy travelled across China to the school
of a famous martial artist. When he arrived at the kwoon he was given an
audience by the Sifu.

"What do you wish from me?" the master asked.

"I
wish to be your student and become the finest martial artist in the land,"
the boy replied. "How long must I study?"

"Ten years at least," the master
answered.

"Ten years is a long time," said the boy. What if I studied
twice as hard as all your other students?"

"Twenty years," replied the
master."

"Twenty years! What if I practice day and night will all my effort?"

"Thirty years," was the master's reply.

"How is it each time I say I will work harder, you tell me that it will take longer?" the boy asked.

"The answer is clear. When one eye is fixed upon your destination, there
is only one eye left with which to find the Way". Why meditate? It's better than sitting around doing nothing  Kitschiguy ~ 

hehe I said the same to mom when i was lazy to do the meditation :*)

haha, did it work?

What you said is absolutely true!