In a culture that often equates achievement with fulfillment, many individuals find themselves questioning why something still feels off despite outward success. Josh Wintermute, a pastor, life builder, and author, addresses this disconnect in his new book, Winning the Wrong Game, released today. The book challenges readers to look beneath the surface of their lives and examine the foundations upon which they are built.
Drawing from over two decades of pastoral ministry and personal experiences with physical, mental, financial, and spiritual challenges, Wintermute offers an honest and practical guide for rebuilding what truly matters. 'After walking through some of the hardest seasons of my life, I came to realize that the problem wasn't simply my circumstances,' said Wintermute. '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. Wintermute argues that many people are silently carrying burdens that success alone cannot solve. He writes, 'You are not as stuck as you think. You are not as alone as you feel. And you are going to make it.' Through vulnerability, personal stories, and practical insight, he encourages readers to identify what is broken, do the difficult work of restoration, and build something stronger and more lasting.
Wintermute, founder of Quiet Winters, has dedicated his work to helping leaders, families, and organizations establish healthy foundations that can withstand life's storms. He has walked alongside hundreds of individuals through seasons of grief, transition, disappointment, and renewal. Ironically, becoming an author was never part of his original plan. 'Honestly, I never wanted to write a book,' Wintermute 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.'
Wintermute describes his writing journey with three words: obedience, surrender, and faith. The biggest challenge was narrowing thousands of thoughts into something clear and useful. 'I couldn't do it alone. I needed outside perspective, coaching, and editing to help shape the message into something people could actually use,' he said. Influenced by authors such as Simon Sinek, Seth Godin, and N. T. Wright, his work combines practical wisdom, spiritual insight, and personal vulnerability.
'What sets this book apart is the honesty,' Wintermute 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, 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 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.
