This weekend, after a nearly undefeated regular season, my 9-year-old son’s hockey team lost their semi-final game and did not advance to the finals that they’d set as their goal at the beginning of the year. The kids were disappointed. There were tears and words of encouragement from parents and coaches.
But as I sat in the room and observed the team, I was proudest to see that there were no complaints. This group of very mature 9-year olds had taken the loss in stride and, despite all of the winning they did over the course of the year, were looking internally rather than externally for the reasons they didn’t achieve their goal. Perhaps more importantly than anything, there was recognition as we left the dressing room that we’d be back and that we’d be better next time.
It got me thinking that, while losing is never fun, it is a necessary part of life if we want to grow into the best versions of ourselves, our teams and our businesses. Here are a few reasons why losing is necessary for growth.
- Everything Worth Doing is Difficult
The satisfaction of winning comes from the often-difficult path it took to get there. They say it is important to learn to love the process.
- Competition Makes Us Better
Winning wouldn’t be as much fun or as motivating if it happened all of the time. Having competition that pushes us to improve makes winning that much more special.
- When the Going Gets Tough the Tough Get Going
Losing is character building. Difficult times breed fighters that are resilient and often the last one’s standing when everything is said and done.
- Learning to Do Whatever It TakesÂ
In life, to win, you need to learn to push the limits and do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Sometimes that means doing the things you don’t want to do, like pulling all-nighters, to differentiate yourself from your competitors.
So while it wasn’t fun to see our boys lose this weekend, I’m glad it happened, because I know it is an opportunity for them to level up and grow as both people and hockey players.