Good Evening! Welcome to the Cre8ive Coaching Newsletter. Here is your weekly serving of poker related knowledge regarding on or off the table topics.
How do you handle defeat? Are you able to get over a loss easily, or does the pain linger on…
Tristan’s Topic Today:
Anyone who is competitive doesn’t like to lose. There are some things in life that make you feel more like a loser than a winner, and poker can be just that. Since there is always a lesson in a loss, how can we move forward to lose like a winner?
The perspective we hold in our mind’s eye is key to determining our attitude when times get tough. If we enter a competition with a realistic expectation of the outcome, this can make it easier to handle the result. Also, if we enjoy the sport and make the most of the opportunity and experience, this should alleviate some of the pain that comes from losing. If we are having fun, it is much easier to accept defeat.
When it comes to poker tournaments, most of the time a player will not make the money. Almost all of the time, that player will not be the ultimate “winner.” This is the reality of a tournament. Therefore, there will be a lot of learning along the way towards reaching one’s goals. This is the beauty of the game, and the beauty of life.
When we lose, or things don’t work out the way we wanted, we should take something valuable away from the practice. Instead of wallowing in our disappointment, we should shift our mentality to a positive one. Thoughts such as: “Most people don’t take risks, so I am glad that I tried.” or “I have room for improvement, and this helped me realize where my weakness lies.” or “I was unlucky, but I was happy with the decisions I made. It just wasn’t meant to be.” and even general comments like “I had the opportunity to do something that only X people were able to do.” can help us move forward. All of these thoughts take us away from the expectation we once had, and let us relish in what did happen. These are transcendent thoughts. This can take us back to the present moment, and prepare us for what the future has in store.
Failure is only final once you stop trying. Knowing there is more ahead for us should help keep our heads up high. Having confidence in who you are, what you are capable of, and what you are willing to do, creates a winner’s mentality, even in loss. This is the biggest realization to succeed in life. There will be tough times, things will not go as anticipated, but if you are willing to work for what you want and have the patience to see it come to fruition, you can have that much more joy along the journey.
Lose like a winner and win like a winner. Then do it all over again.
“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.” – Malcolm X