Athletes–among all people–should know how to roll with the punches. They’ve won some and they’ve lost some.
Every athlete knows the experience–the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Every athlete has worked countless hours, pushing his or her body to the limit. Every coach has goals to achieve.
Courtesy: Sports Fitness Network
There are winners and losers.
Winning brings a sense of accomplished. Your hard work has paid off. But in teams sports ‘you’ is also plural. You won, but so did your team–and you did it together.
Losing is a tough pill to swallow. You may be upset. You won’t be congratulated. You may be asked: What went wrong? Your character is tested because how you move forward tells who you are.
I believe there’s not much difference between winning and losing. I’m still the same person either way. If I win, it feels great, but I also need to focus on the next game, the next goal. If I lose, I need to figure out what went wrong and, then, focus on the next game, the next goal.
Most athletes learn from losing, but not always from winning.
Players don’t often reflect after a win.
That’s why I like what Coach Mack Brown said after winning the NCAA football championship, beating defending champ, Southern Cal. Brown told his players: “I don’t want this to be the best thing that has ever happened to you. You will get a degree. Go and be a good father and husband and live life to the fullest.”
Life throws you curveballs every now and then.
You win and you lose. But athletes–among all people–should know how to roll with the punches. They’ve won some and they’ve lost some.
Knowing how to move forward after a loss is a great lesson for life.
