Losing
2025-01-09
The proper response to losing, I learned as a child, was to hate it. It should make you miserable, frustrated, and sad. Feeling terrible about it was a good thing, because you would work even harder to make sure you never felt that way again.
I like to think that I got this from Michael Jordan. The impression I have of him was that he hated losing more than anyone else and because of this, he could will himself to win, no matter obstacles lay before him.
I don’t know about him, but it didn’t work for me. More than once, I quit or didn’t try my hardest to avoid the pain of losing.
Now I think the best response to losing is to take it as easily as possible. Maybe not enjoyment, but bemusement if you can manage it. Analyze it, but don’t stress it. The important thing is to continue to try.