Losing, Winning and the Code

Both the Warriors and the Cavaliers have suffered big losses. NBA fans are waiting to see what is going to happen next.  Losing is something that happens to every athlete in every sport, so responding to defeat is something that all athletes have to do. A common bit of wisdom is: “it’s not whether you get knocked down, it’s whether you get back up.” But there’s more to it than that. The real issue is not whether you get back up, but what do you do after you get up? What caused the defeat? Was it simply a better opponent? But even so, could you have done better? What areas should you work on to improve? Did your will and determination fade?  Will you ask your coach and your teammates how they think you could best improve? What short term goals can you now set for yourself? To reach our full potential we all have to ask ourselves these difficult questions and determine our next steps. And don’t forget: even if you win, it’s no different: you should ask yourself the same hard questions, and continually be setting new goals for yourself.