I offer this up as my gold star for you.
I am a hopeless idealist, an admittance I am both ashamed and proud of in turn. Life has a habit of knocking the stuffing out of me, and sanding off my shine. Yet I do my best to hold up my head and look for the best in myself and others, no matter how much the cynics scoff and complain.
So, to my fellow idealists, here is a quote I’d like to share to remind you that no matter what your scoffers say, you are a winner.
Oh gosh, doesn’t that sound cheesy? Be proud, idealists. Be proud.
Dr. Denis Waitley said:
“The term ‘Winning’ may sound phony to you. Too materialistic. Too full of A’s, or luck, or odds, or muscle-bound athletes.
True Winning, however, is no more than one’s own personal pursuit of individual excellence. You don’t have to get lucky to win at life, nor do you have to knock other people down or gain at the expense of others.
‘Winning’ is taking the talent or potential you were born with, and have since developed, and using it fully toward a goal or purpose that makes you happy.
Winning is becoming that dream of yourself that would fulfill you as a person with high self-esteem.
Winning is giving and getting in an atmosphere of love, cooperation, social concern, and responsibility.
Winning is coming in fourth, exhausted and encouraged–because last time you came in fifth.
Winning is giving yourself to others freely.
Winning is never whining.
Winning is treating animals like people and people like brothers and sisters.
Winning is turning all the cards up in solitaire–without cheating.
Winning is picking up a beer can you didn’t throw on the beach.
Winning is being glad you are you.
Winning is habit forming. (So is Losing.)
Winning is unconditional love.
Winning is a way of thinking–a way of living.
Winning is all in the attitude.
Talent is cheap. You can buy it, and recruit it. It’s everywhere. The world is full of talented alcoholics.
Education is not cheap, but it’s for sale and for hire if you have the time and money. You can get your BS, MBA or PhD. You can panel your den with diplomas. But the world is full of educated derelicts, unable to relate to supportive roles with others.
Not aptitude.. attitude is the criterion for success. But you can’t buy an attitude for a million dollars. Attitudes are not for sale.
Not all individuals are born equal. Some are cursed and some are blessed by their hereditary uniforms. Equality is not Nature’s way. The equal right to become unequal by choice is the natural cycle.
All environments do not breed and nurture the winning spirit. And yet, how often we are witness to living examples of greatness springing out of adversity…
Attitude is the answer.
Your attitude toward your potential is either the key to or the lock on the door of personal fulfillment.”
From The Psychology of Winning.
Geralyn Wichers 
Sadly, I know of several people for whom attitude is in chronically low supply. And if attitude cannot be bought or sold, does that mean you have some innate quantity? If you’re chronically low, then do you give up hope? Can resilience be taught, or are are stuck with what we’ve been given?
Food for thought.
I’m going to go on a limb and say it’s similar to how I learned to run (something for which I have no natural talent for): practise.
It’s likely a mistake to make ‘happy’ the synonym of attitude here. Heck, life is hard and sometimes you can’t pull yourself up by your bootstraps (I take antidepressants, for instance). However, for me it is important to take on a mentality of responsibility for myself, and not blame my attitude on the people around me.