Are losses devastating or motivating?
This is a question all athletes should ask themselves.
Some athletes allow one defeat, especially if the competition was significantly important to them, to take the wind out of their sails…
They believe the possibility of another defeat is not worth the long hours of training and hard work. That one loss is all they need to conclude they are not good enough.
Other athletes use defeats to motivate themselves to kick training up a notch. That doesn’t mean they are not upset by the loss; instead, they reset after it.
They reset their goals, review their training plan, work on small aspects of their game they may have previously neglected, dedicate themselves to mental training, and hold themselves accountable every step of the way.
This type of athlete does not see themselves at a disadvantage at the next competition. They use the earlier disappointment to give themselves an edge. Since they are better prepared, they are more confident to compete.
In the women’s 100-meter butterfly at the 2024 Paris Olympics, USA swimmer Torri Huske chased down teammate Gretchen Walsh to claim Team USA’s first individual gold of the Games by 0.04 seconds.
However, in the same event at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, Huske finished fourth and was .01 out of medal contention.
HUSKE: “I’m not gonna lie. That was devastating. But, I think that it really fueled me.”
While such a narrow defeat would crush many other athletes, Huske used the loss to fuel her training efforts for three more years.
Not only did that fourth-place finish motivate Huske, but it also gave her a mental edge to avoid that feeling of disappointment.
The result of a significant competition does impact an athlete in some way. However, you can choose whether the impact will be positive or negative.
You get to choose whether the loss devastates or motivates you. You get to choose whether or not you will bounce back better or become deflated by the experience.
The first step in using losses to fuel your motivation is to process the loss. Review the competition and determine what you could have done differently or can do differently in the future.
Next, identify the skills, mental or technical, you need to develop to hone mechanics or improve your performance.
Afterward, figure out how to prepare better. Does your training regime need adjusting? Do you need a better-thought-out mental training plan?
Lastly, decide how you will keep yourself accountable for your actions, efforts, and attitude.
Your response to the loss will shape your athletic future, and it all starts with a choice.
A loss doesn’t indicate an end or failure. You can use the loss as a new beginning, a way to start over better and smarter.
To reset, ask yourself, “How can I use this experience to motivate myself?”
Then, reset your goals and design an action plan that keeps your focus on your objective and not a previous loss.
Related Sports Psychology Article
- Pro Mindset to Play Your Best in Big Games
- Lessons from Mahomes Winning Mindset
- The Optimal Athletic Mindset for Rematches
The Fearless Athlete (Digital Download)
“The Fearless Athlete” audio and workbook program helps you overcome fear and anxiety to perform with trust and confidence. Learn how to overcome the mental handcuffs of perfectionism and fear of failure, leading you to perform with unshakeable trust in your skills.
With the use of the ‘The Fearless Athlete’ and ‘Ultimate Sports Parent’ workbooks, I see subtle but significant results in a short period of time. My young athlete did not even know about positive self-talk until we started the program.”
~Adam, Sports Parent