Can’t Win Them All

The photo that accompanies this article is a football player diving in mid-air just before he crosses the goal line and gets the ball into the end zone for the winning touchdown… Or is it?

The photo could just as easily be of a football player diving in mid-air just before he crashes to the ground inches away from the goal line and losing the game for his team.

No matter how good you are, no matter how hard you train.

You Can’t Win Them All

That goes for sports, that goes for your personal life, and that goes for your professional life. You want to play to win, but you also want to have confidence in your ability to bounce back after a loss.

You want to be a good winner.
Grateful. Humble. Respectful of the other players on the field.

You want to be a good loser.
Grateful. Humble. Respectful of the other players on the field.

You want to be grateful because you had a chance to play the game (whether it’s professional football or professional selling). Show gratitude for going up against a worthy opponent. Be thankful that you had a chance to perform at your best. Maybe you won, maybe you lost — but you played the game and you played your best.

You want to be humble because whether you were on the winning side or the losing side, it could have just as easily gone the other way. You want to be humble because not a lot of other people had the advantage of being on the field and playing at your level. Of having the opportunity you have.

You want to be respectful of the other players on the field. Not just the players on the opposing team, but respectful of the players on your own team. You don’t want to claim sole credit for a victory, but neither do you want to assign a single person blame when you are defeated. You lose as a team. You win as a team.

Losing isn’t forever

A single defeat doesn’t make you a loser for all time. You might feel like your at the bottom of the pile after a loss, but you could win tomorrow and feel like you’re on top. Competition is fickle that way.

Take the time after a defeat to self-evaluate your performance.
Not to kick yourself, but to acknowledge the things you did right. The things you couldn’t have improved if you tried. And then review the things that could have gone better. Don’t dwell on them — just face the reality and then think about what you would do differently if you had another chance.

And you will get another chance.

You can’t win them all — but you can’t lose them all either.