In a world that often equates success with career advancement, family stability, and the achievement of personal goals, many people still find themselves asking, "Why does something still feel off?" Josh Wintermute, a pastor, life builder, and author, addresses this profound question in his new book, Winning the Wrong Game. Drawing from over two decades of pastoral ministry and his own experiences with physical, mental, financial, and spiritual challenges, Wintermute provides an honest and practical guide for rebuilding what truly matters.
Wintermute's central thesis is that the problem is not merely one's circumstances but the foundation upon which life is built. "After walking through some of the hardest seasons of my life, I came to realize that the problem wasn't simply my circumstances," he said. "The problem was the foundation I was building on. Once I began addressing what was happening beneath the surface, everything started to change." The book focuses on three foundational areas: the heart, the home, and the culture. Rather than offering quick fixes or motivational platitudes, Wintermute challenges readers to identify what is broken, do the difficult work of restoration, and build something stronger and more lasting.
The message is particularly relevant in a culture that often celebrates achievement while neglecting the health of the person behind the success. Wintermute believes many people are silently carrying burdens that success alone cannot solve. "You are not as stuck as you think," he writes. "You are not as alone as you feel. And you are going to make it." His hope is that readers discover that "God is better than they may have thought He is" and that growth, healing, and restoration are possible when built on the right foundation.
Wintermute is the founder of Quiet Winters, an organization dedicated to helping leaders, families, and organizations establish healthy foundations that can withstand life's storms. Over his ministry, he has walked alongside hundreds of individuals through seasons of grief, transition, disappointment, and renewal. Ironically, becoming an author was never part of his plan. "Honestly, I never wanted to write a book," he admitted. "For years people encouraged me to do it, and for years I pushed the idea away. Eventually I became open to the possibility, started writing down some thoughts, and God began opening doors." He describes his writing journey in three words: obedience, surrender, and faith.
The biggest challenge, he says, was "taking the thousands of thoughts in my head and narrowing them into something clear and useful for readers. I couldn't do it alone. I needed outside perspective, coaching, and editing to help shape the message." Influenced by authors such as Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, and N. T. Wright, Wintermute's work combines practical wisdom, spiritual insight, and personal vulnerability. "What sets this book apart is the honesty," he said. "I talk openly about my failures, shortcomings, and struggles because that's where God did some of His greatest work in my life."
When he's not writing, speaking, or coaching leaders through Quiet Winters, Wintermute enjoys spending time with his wife of more than twenty-five years and their three sons, fishing, golfing, and investing in the lives of his coaching clients. For aspiring authors, his advice is simple: "You can do this. Start dreaming, surround yourself with people who know more than you do, learn from them, and begin writing."
At its core, Winning the Wrong Game is an invitation for readers to stop patching cracks at the surface level and instead rebuild from the ground up. Because sometimes the breakthrough people are searching for isn't found in doing more; it's found in building differently.
