As a competitor, there’s something deeply ingrained within you that makes losing unbearable. You hate it. You despise it. The feeling of defeat can sting so sharply that, at times, it might even consume you mentally, emotionally, and physically—though I wouldn’t recommend letting it get to that point.
When you step onto the field, the objective is simple: to win. You and the opposing team are locked into a shared goal, both striving for the same outcome. But here’s the catch—only one side will leave satisfied. The other side will inevitably walk away disappointed. More often than not, your opponent wants to win just as badly as you do. They’re just as committed, just as driven, and often, just as talented. They don’t care about how much you want to win, and they certainly aren’t going to back down simply because you’re feeling the pressure. This is what makes the stakes so high and the chances of success so low. The odds are constantly stacked against you, and the window for failure is wide open.
I spent a decade working for a professional baseball team, where we had our fair share of regular season success. We dominated throughout the year, consistently putting up strong numbers. But when it came time for the playoffs, something always seemed to fall apart. For reasons that seemed out of our control, we struggled to push through the postseason and win the championship. We’d come so close, but victory always seemed to slip through our fingers.
As someone who was emotionally invested in the team’s success, I can tell you that those years of playoff heartbreak were brutal. Year after year, we faced the gut-wrenching disappointment of coming so close, only to fall short. It was a cycle of frustration and, quite honestly, defeat. But that pain, that loss, is something I’ll never forget. Because in 2019, after years of setbacks, we finally did it. We won it all. The feeling of winning the championship was incredibly sweet, not just because of the trophy, but because of the years of struggle and failure that led up to it. There’s something special about overcoming adversity, and our victory felt earned, not given.
Had we won right away, right after our first shot at the championship, would it have been as meaningful? Would it have held the same weight? Winning without the journey of failure is an empty victory. The true value of success lies in the lessons learned through adversity, in the growth that comes with overcoming obstacles, and in the realization that nothing is ever guaranteed.
Through my years of experience, both personally and professionally, it’s become clear to me: You must learn how to lose before you can truly appreciate winning. If you were told, right from the start, that you would always be successful—every year, without fail—and that your competition would be weak or non-existent, what would the point be? The thrill of victory would fade quickly, and the sense of accomplishment would be hollow. The real joy of winning is rooted in the challenge, in knowing that you’ve competed against the best of the best and emerged victorious.
As a competitor, you want to test your mettle against the toughest opponents, the ones who will push you to the edge of your limits. When you win under those circumstances, you know it’s earned. You’ve proven yourself, not just to others, but to yourself. And that is what makes the victory so rewarding. So, embrace the losses. Learn from them, grow from them. Because, in the end, those losses are what will make your wins truly meaningful.
Social Media: @billythebatboy
