When No One Expects You to Win

January 22nd, 2026 by Diane Conklin under Business - General, Business Strategy, Uncategorized. No Comments.

Most people love a comeback story.

But if you’ve ever been in one — building a business, leading a team, or trying to turn something around when the odds are stacked against you — you know it doesn’t feel inspiring while you’re living it. It feels uncertain. Lonely. Risky.

Indiana football has never been the program people point to as a national powerhouse. They weren’t supposed to dominate. They weren’t supposed to win it all. And yet, in a remarkably short time, they transformed into a championship team.

In just two seasons under head coach Curt Cignetti, the program transformed from a middling 3–9 club into an undefeated national champion, completing a perfect 16–0 season that ended with the school’s first-ever national title.

That didn’t happen by accident.

It happened when leadership changed expectations, when the culture shifted, and when people stopped playing not to lose — and started playing to win.

If that sounds familiar, it should. Because in business, many of us start in the same place… underestimated, overlooked, and often told (directly or indirectly) to keep our goals “realistic.”

Fernando Mendoza (Indiana’s quarterback) wasn’t the most highly recruited quarterback. He wasn’t handed a spotlight. He was a two-star recruit coming out of high school and couldn’t even get a walk-on tryout at Miami (the school they just beat to become national champions). He had to transfer from Cal to find the right environment — one that believed in him and gave him the opportunity to lead.

That’s a lesson a lot of entrepreneurs learn the hard way.

Sometimes it’s not that you aren’t capable.

It’s that you’re in the wrong system.

In business, I see this all the time. Smart, talented people stuck in structures, markets, or teams that don’t support their growth. When they finally move — when they choose alignment over comfort — everything changes.

You Don’t Win by Being Flashy — You Win by Being Solid

Indiana didn’t win because they chased attention. They won because they focused on execution. Fundamentals. Consistency. Trust.

That’s not glamorous. It’s not viral. But it works.

In business, the same rule applies. The leaders who succeed long-term aren’t the ones jumping from strategy to strategy. They’re the ones who:

• Know their numbers
  
• Serve their customers well
  
• Communicate clearly
  
• Build teams that trust one another

Just like a quarterback who doesn’t force every play, successful business owners learn when to stay steady and when to take the shot.

Indiana’s turnaround wasn’t just about talent. It was about belief.

People bought into the vision before the scoreboard proved it was possible.

In business, culture works the same way. You don’t build trust after success — you build it before.

What stood out most to me about Mendoza wasn’t just how he played — it was why he played. He carries personal purpose with him, honoring family, values, and something bigger than individual recognition. If you want to know more, go do some research and find out more about him.

That matters.

In business, when leaders connect their work to something deeper than revenue or growth, it changes how they show up. Purpose fuels resilience. It gives meaning to the long days and tough decisions.

Indiana football and Fernando Mendoza remind us of something we already know — but sometimes forget…

You don’t have to be the favorite to win.
You don’t have to start with advantages.
You do have to believe, prepare, stay consistent, and lead when it counts.

Whether you’re building a business, rebuilding one, or stepping into a new season of leadership, the lesson is the same…

Overcoming the odds isn’t about luck.
It’s about choosing to play at a higher level — even when no one is watching yet.

And that’s how real wins are built.

To Your Success –