Ugh! The Agony of Defeat: Teaching
Our Athletes the Fine Art of
(GASP) Losing
A good deal of parents have their
children in sports. My children run
track and their Dad coaches them. They
spend several hours throughout the week training, arising many mornings in
sometimes wet, cold weather to train at a local track in our community. They also have a regiment of lifting weights,
ice baths, and hill training, along with eating right, and knowing what to eat
and when to eat it… it’s pretty involved.
Last week the kids had a track meet and one of my kids didn't do so
well. She took it pretty hard, and the
week before that she wasn't pleased with her performance, and didn't take it so
well. It’s hard watching your child work
so hard towards their goal, only to experience the agony of defeat and fall
short of their goal. Most parents want
to see their children achieve their goals (I know I do)…we want to see them
win! However, “losing” can be a good thing
if our perspective has the right lenses on.
Everyday we face “win lose” situations, it’s how we choose to view and
handle these situations that can either make or break us as an individual. The mind and the spirit is where true strength
is formed and developed.
Case in point: I like boxing
and one of the most prolific professional boxers of our time Floyd Mayweather,
Jr. fought one of the most challenging fights of his career against Ricky Hatton,
and when it was over tears were streaming from Mayweather’s face. He “won” the fight, and it cost him, and he “knew”
it cost him. He may have been bruised, swollen, and sore but he “won” the fight…
I suppose he could live with that. On the other hand, Hatton suffered a deep
depression after his “defeat”, despite having never lost; fighting the best
fight he could’ve fought against such a formidable opponent. He didn't handle the “loss” well at all. I tend to wonder if
the day will come, when and if Mayweather is defeated, how he will handle it.
No one wants to be on the losing side, but in
life it is necessary. It is what “grows”
us up when words, book-smarts or flattering tongues alone won’t do. Losing
gives us a perspective that only the experience of it can teach. Sometimes losing happens even when we've done
everything we can possibly do or when things are out of our control leaving us
with the aching question…now what? Teaching
our kids and reminding ourselves as well, to have faith in God and the power of
His might and to know that God will work all things together for the good when
we trust Him in all things “win” or “lose” is how we truly win! We simply must know how to abound as well as
be abased; it’s part of life….Life-schooling that is.
Be blessed.
Philippians 4:12
12v. I know how to be abased and I
know how to abound. Everywhere and in
all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and
to suffer need.
