You won't find too many people who like winning more than me. When the situation requires as much, as I'm as competitive of person as you'll run across. But I know I've learned just as many lessons from losing as I have from winning. The lessons might sting a little more, but I'm convinced they're more valuable and longer lasting.
This weekend, my daughter's basketball teams went 0-5. They could have easily won two or three of those games but didn't. Now, there could be a lot of excuses made, and maybe even a few could be justified, but what would the point be. The excuse might make her feel better temporarily, but it isn't going to change the result. What's more important to me, and hopefully her, is that rather than look for reasons her team lost, she look for lessons she can learn from losing.
Losing often hurts, which is good. The more it hurts, the more you care. The more you care, generally the more effort you've put in preparing. The more you prepare, the more you've dedicated and gave of yourself. Giving and dedication are amazing traits to acquire and build upon.
Losing doesn't carry with it elation or instant joy. It does carry "what ifs." What's ifs mean contemplation. What ifs can propel redirection. Redirection can build character. If there's one trait I want my daughter to have, it's character. I want her to have to scrap and toil and fight. I want her to smacked in the mouth, feel the jolt, and decide if getting up and getting back in the fight is worth it. If she answers yes, I know she'll be likely to answer yes when there are bigger things at stake than a basketball game. I'll know she'll be more likely to take on bigger fights and opponents than the kind she'll find on a basketball court.
Overall, my attitude regarding losing is that there is nothing wrong with feeling pain. There's nothing wrong with being defeated. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being humbled. Nothing wrong with having witnessed first hand there's someone better than you. Personally, I want to know if the people I'm choosing to surround myself can man up when needed and keep coming forward. I want to know they aren't going to wilt at the first sight of trouble. I want to know they're not going to hide in a corner or find someone to take on their burdens for them. I want to know they can carry the weight. Not everyone can. Those who do are typically those who have lost something along the way.
This weekend, my daughter's basketball teams went 0-5. They could have easily won two or three of those games but didn't. Now, there could be a lot of excuses made, and maybe even a few could be justified, but what would the point be. The excuse might make her feel better temporarily, but it isn't going to change the result. What's more important to me, and hopefully her, is that rather than look for reasons her team lost, she look for lessons she can learn from losing.
Losing often hurts, which is good. The more it hurts, the more you care. The more you care, generally the more effort you've put in preparing. The more you prepare, the more you've dedicated and gave of yourself. Giving and dedication are amazing traits to acquire and build upon.
Losing doesn't carry with it elation or instant joy. It does carry "what ifs." What's ifs mean contemplation. What ifs can propel redirection. Redirection can build character. If there's one trait I want my daughter to have, it's character. I want her to have to scrap and toil and fight. I want her to smacked in the mouth, feel the jolt, and decide if getting up and getting back in the fight is worth it. If she answers yes, I know she'll be likely to answer yes when there are bigger things at stake than a basketball game. I'll know she'll be more likely to take on bigger fights and opponents than the kind she'll find on a basketball court.
Overall, my attitude regarding losing is that there is nothing wrong with feeling pain. There's nothing wrong with being defeated. There's absolutely nothing wrong with being humbled. Nothing wrong with having witnessed first hand there's someone better than you. Personally, I want to know if the people I'm choosing to surround myself can man up when needed and keep coming forward. I want to know they aren't going to wilt at the first sight of trouble. I want to know they're not going to hide in a corner or find someone to take on their burdens for them. I want to know they can carry the weight. Not everyone can. Those who do are typically those who have lost something along the way.
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