GTTW: Sometimes You Lose

There’s going to be a time when your best or what you thought was your best is not going to be any where good enough. It sucks. Might even take you a while to recover from the blow. Especially when you’ve put everything you thought you had into it. But you can still learn something.

But there is an angle here we have to consider. Once I got myself under control and took time to cool off from the disappointment, I learned. Sometimes you have to lose, to win. Nobody likes being a loser. Especially me, as I am as my wife calls me, hyper competitive. However, there is information rich learning from any loss.

I learned for example that in order to be better runner and place, I probably shouldn’t be skipping my habits designed in my training program to help me. To be honest, that’s not good. Winners plan to win and finish through on that commitment. Each time I skipped a training run, I also skipped down a few places on the roster for a place medal. Not to mention, if you’re not going to push yourself, no one else will. There is always someone on your heels that wants it more. You give them the edge when you cannot find your discipline.

Fueling up and prep to get ready up to the race is radically important. Wearing my shorts and running shirt to bed is not enough to get me the edge for the race. I need to eat right. I need to get enough sleep. My morning routine when I get up needs to be all laid out and ready. Not partially, but well thought out all the way through. Anything that takes extra will or mental energy to get around, will deplete from my reserve when I need it on the road for the race.

Review the plan and the map. Plant some milestones. Little waystations that help you to see where you’re at in real time. What am I going to do once I pull up to the line and it’s go time? Something to consider. Also, what’s the terrain or landscape that I will be moving through going to be like? Full sun? Shade? Temperature? Wind? These are all factors that anyone with a drive to be the best and win, would take under advisement.

The GTTW (Going to the Well) bridge here is obvious, there is nothing to be sorry for in a loss. There is everything to be aware of though. Real life application here is implied. The same above prep, healthy habits, and preparing the way or forecasting your obstacles that may come up applies to work life as well. Don’t let the incredible intel you may gather from a loss escape. Find a place to write that disappointment out. Learn from it. Be better because of it for the next run. The saying that there is never a second chance is crap. Don’t believe in that. You will get another chance and the next time, you’ll be ready to see your best self.

“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows. It’s a very mean and nasty place and I don’t care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard ya hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!”
― Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa

Thanks for reading. Hope the holiday week has been incredible and you’ve had some great time off with friends and family.

✌ Shawn