Want a great strategy so that you’ll never have to lose again? Think of it! You can be guaranteed that you’ll always come out on top! How good would that be? You can win the league, be numero uno, elevate yourself to top dog!
All you have to do is to make sure that you only practice and compete against weaker opponents! That’s right! Don’t ever challenge yourself with those tough competitors. Stay away from all of those people who’ve beaten you before. Don’t ever test yourself with an unknown opponent! Why take the chance of losing when you can always win? Congratulations! You have now achieved BIG-FISH-in-SMALL-POND status.
So many athletes worry themselves sick over the possibility of losing. They agonize over the strengths and reported reputation of their opponents. They’re filled with self-doubts the hours and minutes leading up to the big game, match or race. What a terrible waste of physical and mental energy! Let’s stop all of this waste and get on the conservation bandwagon. Pre-screen your practice partners and opponents to insure that you are, by far much better than them.
Did I mention that with all the joy and happiness that these victories will bring you, there is one, teensy, weensy down side? The only problem, and I assure you that it’s just a “minor one,” with only going up against weaker practice partners and competitors is that it will seriously stagnate your development as an athlete and ultimately make you worse, not better. No biggie, right?
Challenging yourself against much better competition is the very best way to raise the level of your game. Losing to a stronger opponent lays the foundation for your later winning. There is a serious downside to being a big fish in a small pond. You’re growth as an athlete and competitor will be stunted! You can’t go from average to great without being surrounded by much better athletes. You can’t become a champion without a healthy dose of losses thrown in there. If you are never challenged you can’t get better. If you don’t have people around you who can push you physically, mentally and emotionally, then you’ll end up going backwards!
Sure winning is fun. Being the best is great too! But always winning and being the best without ever having to stretch yourself is the fool’s gold of sports. If you really want to become a champion, then you need to start looking for a bigger pond to swim in where there are much bigger, scarier fish than you. Those bigger, scarier fish will eventually help you to one day turn yourself into a big, scary fish!
