Winning an award

The highs and lows of being in the running for an award

Award ceremonies are funny old beasts; a rollercoaster ride in the true sense of the word.

From the moment you are at least invited to an awards bash into which you put forward an entry or were nominated, the anticipation builds.

And just like queuing for the big ride at the fairground, you look on and wonder what it must be like to be looping the loop and the sense of elation at its conclusion.

By the time it arrives for you to strap yourself in for the big day itself, your tummy will feel as if you consumed a few live butterflies in addition to your light breakfast.

Sat down and ready to hear the results, the sense of the occasion hits you. Just enjoy it, whatever it may bring, you tell yourself. But, ultimately, try as you might, you cannot help but picture the rush and the glee of emerging at the end of the ride victorious.

More often than not, of course, the experience sees ups and downs and as the ride comes to an end you get out empty-handed, feeling rather deflated and pondering if that was all there was to it.

You vow, naturally, not to bother next time a chance to run through those emotions comes around again…but…well, you can’t help but think maybe next time it will be better, maybe next time it will all work out differently.

We are, of course, in awards season right now. From the Oscars to the BAFTAs, the Brits to the Grammys, big business to industry sectors, the invites will be coming thick and fast.

Around 95 per cent of all those attending will come away feeling a sense of deflation – which is odd really, because merely to reach an awards final means your efforts are being acknowledged.

Yet the disappointment in losing out can be a bitter pill to swallow. Awards provide a sense of acknowledgement by others and, after all, everyone wants to win one.

However, for the five per cent who win, the sense of achievement will be great. All the hard work will feel worth it. A sense of pride all encompassing.

Yet win or lose, the experience itself can be a memorable one.

So if you find yourself nominated or simply invited to an awards bash over the next few weeks, just enjoy the experience and the food and drink.

And as one organiser once so memorably told a colleague who enquired as to whether his team were to win anything as the dessert was cleared away (they didn’t), “just sit down and enjoy the cheese”.