Win Some Lose the Vast Majority

I had an aquintaince who was an accomplished 50 and 100 meter swimmer.  He was very fast and held his college's records.  He used to joke with me by saying, 'win some and lose the vast majority.' I like to think he meant try to win when it really counts, but there will be loses, and one does not get good at anything without plenty of loses. So, it is with chess we each get better as we win and lose.  Are we to be sprinters, or plodders to our penultimate goal?  There is no telling, but each is as good as the other!