The Thrill of Victory, the Agony of Defeat or Something Else Altogether?

In sports, business and life, our outlook on results often comes down to one question: Did we win or lose? It all harkens back to those infamous words from the legendary Jim McKay from the Wide World of Sports Intro 1978: “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.”

While it’s one of my favorite lines in sports, I don’t think everything comes down to wins and losses. Sure, the thrill of victory is an amazing one. Whether it’s sinking that last second shot or putt, getting that business lead you sought after for months, or finishing your last day of school, the feeling is ecstatic. And, rightfully so. But, what if the opposite happened, or worse, you made a mistake in business where the magnitude is ratcheted up quite a bit?

As long as your intentions were good and you correct the mistake in the future, we can certainly learn more from our failures than our victories. I look at it this way: Winning is amazing in the moment, but eventually fleeting; losing is tough in the moment, but learning from the loss and making a comeback to earn a win … now, that is something that isn’t easily forgotten.

So, whether it’s you or your favorite team losing a game or a championship, or making a mistake or taking a loss in business, I say don’t feel too dejected. Learn from it, make a turnaround and see how you feel afterwards. I think you are going to find that the lasting impact – and the transformation that comes from it – far outweighs one victory in the long run.