Learning to lose

 

Sports have always been poorly branded in our society whereas games are outright neglected. From a very young age, the notion that sports merely are a means of physical fitness is developed in our minds. Whenever someone talks about sports, he always focuses on the physical ones and even in that, highlights JUST the health point of view of it. The usual "A healthy body has a healthy mind" is the logical conclusion to this argument almost every time.

From fifth class, when essays were added to paper-pattern, till my F.Sc., "Sports and Games" has been one of the most important essays regarding exams. And each time, the main argument was physical fitness. Although someone occasionally mentioned that teamwork is also something of importance in team sports and that sports might also help you in management and getting your life in order. However, no one mentioned the one thing that must be the goal of each sport: Learning to lose. 

In this world, where everyone wants to succeed, no one knows how to lose, how to accept that you can lose, and when it happens acknowledging that you have lost. Life is a collection of missed opportunities, shocking failures, and betrayals. Everyone knows this, but very few people understand it. 

The main drawback of this "goal-oriented" and "focused" youth is that failure is not an option for them. "How can you just lose?"

And in such an environment, whenever someone encounters a failure, he becomes a sore loser. The competition has grown toxic. To win means to defeat someone. And the truly tragic thing is that we want to win, just to impress others. We go through unbearable struggles and not even for our sake.

In sports, we can constantly lose and still have the courage and will to carry on, to give our best in the next match. We can lose without any consequences. Winning is just a part of it. Unlike life, there are multiple attempts. However, just as it happens in life, you do not always want to play, sometimes you join just to participate or to accompany a friend. Or to avert your thoughts from something and to create peace of mind. 

Actually, there is no losing in games because there is no competition. You practice to improve yourself, you work on your lacking. Because there is no shortcut to experience, there is no easy way.