by Jentezen Smith
Is there a heavier feeling in sports than the stinging pain of a loss? As an athlete and a lifetime avid sports fan, I don’t think so.
Losing absolutely stinks.
In the classic baseball movie “Moneyball,” Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Bean says this to his athletes: “I hate losing. I hate losing more than I want to win.”
I couldn’t agree more. As rewarding as a win is, the satisfaction seems to linger far shorter than the sting of a loss.
You want the win so bad and in pursuit of it, you invest so much time, energy and effort. Just to fall short.
You feel like a failure, as everything you worked for was seemingly for nothing.
The worst part about it is, the further you make it in the approach of your dreams, the more it hurts if you ultimately fall short.
The higher you climb, the harder you fall.
As an athlete, one of my most distinct memories is a failure when I was running the 400 hurdles in an attempt to qualify for the national meet.
Through nine hurdles, I sat on pace to qualify for nationals, then on the 10th and final hurdle, my foot caught it and I fell 20 feet in front of the finish line.
I was 20 feet away from achieving a dream.
That resonates with me just as much as winning conference in the 400 hurdles, breaking a school record or any of my personal best times.
As sweet as those moments were, that one was just as bitter.
As a fan, my example comes from my lifelong Texas Rangers fandom.
In 2011, the Rangers were a single out away from winning the World Series, one play away from a championship. Just to have it ripped away.
I can remember crying myself to sleep as a little kid, the loss crushed me. It was the first time I’d felt the weight of a loss and to this day it’s still one of my biggest sports scars.
Luckily, the Rangers redeemed that moment by replacing it with a 2023 World Series Championship.
But just like my experience as an athlete, that moment of the championship loss is still just as unforgettable as the championship win.
While you may think I’m pessimistic, I actually think the weight of a loss is what makes sports so amazing.
99% of the time, you fail. There’s only one winner and everyone else is a loser.
That’s the beauty of sports though, the harsh reality of a loss is what makes the win priceless. The improbability of the win is what makes you truly appreciate it.
Losing is the worst, but it’s arguably more valuable than a win. The life lessons you learn in failure will stick with you far more than those from a win.
And at the end of the day, your losses will shape and build your character more than a win ever could.
While it’s a painful process, the growth of appreciation for the wins and character development make losing a valuable experience for everyone.
It stinks, but it’s still impactful.
