How Are Your Failures Impacting You?
As an athlete or performer, the more time you devote to your practice, the more you (ideally) come to realize that failing and being successful are two unavoidable realities. How you choose to not only interpret those failures, but act upon them as well, can be a game changer.
A common trap that some may fall into when it comes to experiencing a failure in an event is globalizing the event of the failure. What does that mean exactly? Let’s take a look.
Especially when it comes to events or performances that carry a lot of weight, in that the values or consequences tied to it are substantial, we can often find ourselves sustaining a string of negative thoughts around it if the result is not in our favor. Rather than taking the failure as a one time occurrence, you might relate it as an extension into other shortcomings up you’ve had up to that point, and will have going forward. In essence, that one failure gives definition to who you are as an individual, and as an athlete or performer.
Sport psychology lets us reflect on our experiences both from the outside looking in, and on the inside looking out. On your first read through of the explanation, it may very well sound like an irrational thought that would dismiss if you’re not currently experiencing this. In the moment, however, it’s very real, and very potent. Globalizing failures as such can lead to significant drops in motivation, and equally an increase in mental resources required to continue carrying out similar events or performances (or even practice). Looking at the failure from a different lens makes it far easier to manage. For example, recognizing that it’s only temporary and an isolated incident. The reality of becoming and/or being a high achiever is that the losses can gain more depth overtime, however, that doesn’t discredit the work, dedication, and effort that was put in leading up to that point. Setbacks are necessary because they build the resilience required to sustain high levels of work. At the end of the day, you have a choice in the matter of how you deal with it. You can take the setback and accept the new place it has given you, or you can actively plan and strategize how you’re going to make your return back, and furthermore, excel to make yourself better than where you were before.
The purpose of this post isn’t to make you like failures suddenly. Losing, having a setback, and failing don’t typically make the top 10 list for most fun activities. The point, however, is to manage your productivity effectively in the onset of these happening. One question that I’ve found to be effective in getting back on the right track is asking yourself: Now what? What can I actively do today, tomorrow, or in the next week that will improve my situation. Understand, “Nothing” is not an answer. Maybe you can’t hop right back into your sport or performance immediately, but you can review any past events up to that point and identify your strengths and weaknesses from them. You can analyze other people’s performances and make connections to your own. You can set a new goal. You can reach out to your support system. The options are endless, it just comes down to finding the one that you feel will be engaging enough to put your best foot forward.
Long story short, if (when) you experience a setback, recognize it, evaluate the implications of it, and identify your next step to recovering from it. Remember, whether it’s one failure or a million failures, it does not define your image. How you respond to it happening does.
