Look, I get it: NO ONE likes to lose. The worst training days are usually remedied with the idea that the hard work you are putting in at the gym is going to turn out as a victory later. I have never went into a contest thinking about second, third, fourth, or fifth place. Part of being competitive means completely buying into the idea that you have a chance to win…
But that is not always how the cookie crumbles. Most days, other people are better than you. Here and there, they show up and compete at the same contest as you, in your weight class. There are times when you have an off day and your competitor has a good day. A number of things can happen, most of which I cannot predict. However, I will tell you this: If you compete at all, you will be beat at some point. Very few escape that.
You can, however, still come out ahead in those experiences. Hell, some of the biggest turning points I have had in my athletic career have come from losing. Doing an honest assessment on where I lacked at an athlete gave me a solid base for programming and training for the months to come. Unfortunately, some people have a hard time figuring out how to lose without being a loser.
-Losers blame circumstances for their outcome.
-Losers refuse to respect their competition.
-Losers belittle other competitors.
-Losers lack personal responsibility.
-Losers hang out with other losers.
-Winners learn from their fall.
-Winners focus on solutions.
-Winners are always improving.
-Winners arent entitled.
-Winners are gracious.
Its amazing how many great athletes are total losers. Dont be one of those.