The Art of Losing

In the last few months, sports, as usual, taught us something about losing. In a world where winning seems the only important thing, losing can teach us more than a thousand wins. I have always compared sports and business; the art of losing is part of my comparison process. 

Mandela said:

"Sport has the power to change a world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than governments in breaking down racial barriers. At last, in the face of all types of discrimination. "

Sport has the power to accept losing, and sport has the power to teach how to live positively, failing in life and at work

In the 2023 baseball season, the Phillies lost the league championship, losing 4-3 in the last match of the series. My principal's daughter the day after sent a great email to the students:

"Even though the Phillies lost, they are still a really good team. They'll have a chance to play again next year!

Sometimes the other team plays better, and we should congratulate them. It feels good to recognize good players and learn from them.

No matter how hard we work or how talented we are, sometimes we still don't win, and that's ok because we gave our very best effort.

They just didn't win it all YET! (our magic word)"

Thanks to her for this outstanding message to my daughter and all students. It was a huge message for me as well. For another time, I have been reminded that sport has the power to inspire and transmit life lessons.

 Furthermore, the Rugby World Cup was played in October, one of my favorite sports events. 

Rugby is an essential example of a team sport. Every year sports show us how a team needs to support and help each other. France (Organizational nation) and Ireland (1st in the ranking) were the two favorite teams for the final victory. Still, sports underlines that it is not the most talented and powerful who win but the strongest believer and most resilient in the competition. Indeed, South Africa and New Zealand went to the finals. The two highest-winning teams in history playing against each other face to face. It was inevitable that one of the two would be the loser. Finally, South Africa won by only one point, 12 to 11.

All Blacks accepted the loss, and they showed the entire world the value of second place. They showed us how to honorably lose because when you give your soul, your energy, and your belief, and you lose, it is not a failure; it's a learning lesson. 

Vince Lombardi said:

"We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time."

Every day and every moment, sports can teach us something to bring into our daily work, in our family, and in our lives. Every week, another record is broken, and the limit is pushed to another level. No one probably will remember the loser, but sometimes the loser teaches us more than the winner. We need to find value in our failure because it helps us to become a better version of ourselves. 

Vince Lombardi said:

"It doesn't matter how many times you get knocked down but how many times you get back up"