Losing is an inherent part of life. Whether or not we like to admit it, we all lose at some point or another. As Confucius once said, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but rather in rising every time we fall.” This statement is one of my favorites, because of how true it is. Although there is no art to losing, there is an art to learning from your losses and coming back stronger each time. I used to be a poor loser as a young child (especially at board games), but over time I have gotten better at losing (if that makes sense). So, I thought I would share my tips on losing like a winner.
- Body language is everything. This is especially true with sports. As both a wrestler and a football player, you are taught to read an opponent’s body language. Although this generally is used to predict his next move, it also can be used to pick up on his emotions and manipulate them. If an opponent is hanging his head and acting like a poor loser, you can take advantage of that. So, when you are losing, keep your head high and stand up straight. Don’t avoid eye contact or look down, this will only reinforce your loser status. Remain proud and keep your emotions internal.
- Don’t get angry. Many people tend to lash out and even become violent when they are losing, especially when they’re losing badly. This will not help you in anyway what-so-ever. If you are playing a sport, this will likely get you penalized or chastised by a coach. If you are at home, you are just as likely to get punished for your behavior. No matter what the situation, getting violent and irrational will not help you.
- Take it all in and think about it afterwards. This is something that comes to me very naturally. Whenever I do something wrong, it becomes almost imprinted into my mind and it will continue to replay over and over again inside my mind. Anytime I take a break and am not focusing on something, I will watch it happen over and over again. Although you don’t need to become this serious about it, remember and review what happened. Doing this will allow you to learn from your mistakes and improve upon them. If you are in doubt, ask someone else what you did wrong and what you can do better.
Losing is not something we enjoy, nor is it something that we should ever be proud of it. Still, when you do lose, you should strive to lose the “best” way you can.