How a Mindset of Creating Abundance Can Help Athletes Deal with Losing

Article by Zhang Xinyue of Create Abundance.

As outlined in the iconic introduction to ABC’s Wide World of Sports, sporting competitions are mainly defined by two emotions: the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. It’s easy to bask in the collective glow of your own accomplishments after winning, but how can you maintain a positive mindset amid defeat? After all, no athlete can win every competition they enter throughout their entire lifetime or career.

Some athletes take a major hit to their mental health after a major loss. These competitors are usually the ones with an inflated sense of their own supremacy and abilities. A mindset of pride goes before a fall. In contrast, a mindset of positivity and creating abundance can create peacefulness amid the most disappointing setbacks.

By training your mind through meditation and mindfulness training, you can develop a better perspective on losing and become better at dealing with frustration when things don’t go your way. By staying present in the moment and shutting out doubts, negative emotions, and frustrations, you can regroup and come back stronger in your next competition.

Creating this positive mindset does not mean ignoring your mistakes and not acknowledging you could have done things better. Sports are about self-improvement, after all. But the best athletes do not dwell on their mistakes and let negative emotions weigh them down. The best athletes learn from their mistakes without letting their failures affect their self-perception. Learn to separate your actions from your personhood and affirm your own self-worth while continually seeking improvement.

Zhang Xinyue is the founder of Create Abundance organization and author of the book with the same name. Create Abundance is a book full of advice on practicing body-mind-spirit cultivation. IT aims to promote a meaningful and applicable approach to the philosophical issues in life.