Nobody likes to lose. When it comes to losing a point or a game, defeat is a hard feeling to shake. Sometimes it feels impossible, but there are ways to get out of this funk. There comes a point when a decision has to be made:
Should I give up or keep going?
If you really want to succeed, never give up. There is never a point where it's too late. Take that feeling, and turn it into motivation. Here's how:
1. Set Goals
When you feel defeated, create an end goal. This will push you to the success you are looking for. Whether it's being the best on your team, getting the position you want, or matching your teammates' energy, with a goal set, motivation and drive kick in to accomplish it.
Related: Goals You Should Be Setting as an Athletic Recruit
2. Work Harder
If at first you don't succeed, try again, but harder than before. The harder you work, the more your progress will show in your game. Take your defeat and turn it into hard work. You will never be disappointed when you put the time in.
3. Believe in Yourself
The only way to be successful is by believing you can be. Defeat and losses are your mental game's big enemy, but so are you if you don't believe in yourself. Imagine yourself reaching your goal and feel the motivation.
Related: How I Went from Mid-JV to Varsity #1 on My High School Tennis Team
4. Build Confidence
Building confidence is key when playing a sport. Your confidence can easily go down with defeat, but this is the time to realize you've gotten up before and you can do it again. Start going back to what you know and have mastered. Know what you're good at and need to work on. Take the lack of confidence and turn it into something worth being confident about.
5. Remember Why You Started
It's easy to stay down when you're not feeling your sport anymore. A good tip to becoming motivated again is to remember why you started your sport in the first place. You enjoyed the feeling of playing and winning. Your sport is supposed to be fun, so remember the good times and what motivated you in the beginning.
Related: 4 Tips to Prevent Athlete Burnout
6. Ask Your Coach for Advice
Your coach has been in your shoes. They have dealt with the feeling of defeat before. Ask them how they overcame it and what they would do in your shoes. They want you to succeed too. They can motivate you and help you when you need it.
Related: Rate Your Coach
7. Learn From Your Mistakes
In the words of Hannah Montana, “Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those days.” The best way to regain motivation is to learn from your mistakes and try again. Don't be so hard on yourself because mistakes happen and lessons are learned most through mistakes. Making mistakes is a big motivator to do better.
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* Originally published on January 17, 2022, by Sydney DeNardo
