I Would Have Won if

Adverse Circumstances:

A Chance to Show off!

Oh, sure, you would have won if it hadn’t rained. Well, big deal. It rained.

During the course of any athlete’s season, there will be many adverse circumstances to deal with. To many athletes, these circumstances come as a big surprise and cause great distress. Their performance suffers. They “would-a” won or they “could-a” done well, but the circumstances…

What a shame that those athletes don’t have a great coach reminding them every day that adverse circumstances are normal, expected, awaited, and to be viewed simply as a chance to show off—in the best way possible.

Oh sure, you would have won if it hadn’t rained. Well, big deal. It rained. And you suddenly had the opportunity to demonstrate that you could win in spite of the rain. The opportunity to win the admiration of teammates, coaches, and true sports fans suddenly increased when it rained, but you used the rain as a justification for losing instead of seizing the moment to magnify the admiration that could have come from winning.

Read More: You Don’t Lack Confidence. You Lack Ability. 

No tennis player wants to be down two sets to none, or down two games to none, nor does any athlete want to be behind going into the fourth quarter or the ninth inning or the final rotation, but when you find yourself in those circumstances—and you will—you have an opportunity to adopt whatever attitude you choose.

Big tennis match. Down 2–0 in sets. Down 5–0 in games. Down Love–40. Match point. Seemingly impossible odds against you. But there’s nothing impossible about the attitude you choose. You can choose to think, “Oh no, this is it,” or you can choose to focus on what an incredible comeback it would be if you could win now.

Everyone would talk about it. Unbelievable. Incredible. Awesome.

Unbelievable comebacks and accomplishments begin with an attitude that says, “These conditions are about as bad as they can get. What an opportunity! If I can just pull this off.” Having this attitude doesn’t mean you are suddenly going to reverse every tide and go on to win every game. But it should mean that you will play the next point and every point thereafter as well as possible with enthusiasm, pride, and aggressiveness.

With an opportunistic attitude you aren’t crippled by the circumstances, you welcome them as a chance to show what you are made of. If you lose, you lose. But you sure aren’t going to help your opponent win by focusing on the negatives.

When you think about sports and the psychology involved, and about all the frustrations that can be witnessed any time you turn on the TV or go to a field, it ought to be apparent what a tremendous advantage you would have if you simply decided, right now, to start viewing every negative circumstance as an opportunity.

It rained. Your opponent got a lucky break. Your star player got injured. Your coach got thrown out. Your feet have blisters. Your dog just died. Choose your woes. They are inevitable. They are also an opportunity to show off. An opportunity for you to define the true meaning of athletics. An opportunity for you to feel proud, strong, and special. And, often, a special opportunity for you to experience a turning point and perhaps pull off an upset or a comeback you could not have accomplished on your own.

Remember that even so-called great athletes often get flustered and lose their cool and blow sure wins after suffering some defeat that “never should have happened.” In other words, the next time—any time—you face adverse circumstances, don’t throw in the towel. Take advantage of those circumstances. They just may be a passport to your finest moments in sports.

—Excerpted from the book, “Think Like a Champion.”

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