Why talk about such a negative thing as failure? Because you can use experience with failure to learn about yourself and to become a better athlete.

Failure is Good

Although no one wants to fail, the experience can provide you with valuable information you can use in the future. Many athletes set goals that are so unrealistic they simply can't reach them. It takes time and practice to learn how to set challenging goals that are reachable. Athletes who are most likely to quit their sport are those who aren't able to use previous disappointments to their advantage. Successful athletes use failure to readjust their priorities and become better rather than becoming negative and quitting their sport. The sport of bodybuilding is a good example. Those athletes with the most longevity and success have used disappointments to learn how to improve.

Make it Work

Life would be easier if we never had to deal with disappointments. Yet, if it weren't for experiences with failure, some athletes might not have become as successful as they are today. When you're disappointed in your performance, ask yourself. How can I use this experience to become better? Here are some ideas to get you on the right track.

Develop Thick Skin

Remember that everyone, even the most successful athlete, has failed. You aren't the only person in the world to experience failure, and it isn't a reflection of your worth as a person. Failure is part of being human.

Think Long Term

This is one setback and doesn't mean you'll never succeed again. Toddlers learning to walk don't give up because they fall down once. They get up and try again and again. Over time, they learn to walk alone. Use the same basic principle to reach your goals.

Find the positive

We rarely do everything incorrectly. Perhaps you consistently trained hard or maybe you didn't cheat on your diet. Give yourself credit for your discipline and use that strength to help you next time.

Become an Investigator

Was something missing that would have helped you reach your goal such as more time, more knowledge, more social support, or a more realistic goal? To be successful in the future, use disappointments as opportunities to learn about what you need to do to reach your goals. Be honest with yourself and determine what you need. Then make a plan to add that missing element.

Value your Attempt

It takes courage to work toward a goal because you risk not achieving it. If you tried your best, be proud of what you accomplished regardless of the end result. Learn to have joy in participating rather than just winning. Successful athletes enjoy the process of working toward a goal as much as achieving it.

Light a Fire

Athletes often use disappointments to motivate them to perform better in their next competition. Learn to use your own experiences with failure as motivation to do better next time.

Move On

Don't dwell on failure. Shift your focus away from the past, its over and cannot be undone. Learning to view the seemingly negative experience of failure as an opportunity to improve is one of life's most challenging aspects. Once learned, this skill will not only help you become a better athlete, you'll also be better able to handle disappointments outside the gym.

The truth is that you will fail at some time. The challenge is to become stronger. When you get knocked down, you have two choices. Stay down or get up and try again.