You're going to be dissapointed.
And that's good.
Or to quote Jocko, "GOOD"
It's good because you learn very little from success, you learn almost nothing when everything goes your way.
But when everything goes south, when something breaks, when things don't go to plan, that highlights an issue.
It shows us where we could do things better, it shows us how we need to adjust, to adapt, to become better.
It is our failures that create our successes.
Every one of the medals that my clients have brought in to show me know this implicitly.
Sometimes they need reminded, as do I.
But we know this, we understand it, even if we don't always want to admit it.
I had a fighter tell me that they gassed in a fight.
This was good. We changed their programming to build their fuel tank, and they never gassed again!
I had a Judo-Ka who was always getting swept and struggled against bigger opponents. This was good. We changed her training, got her working leg strength, which she hated. Until she fought again and saw the result as she tore through her category and the open open gategory.
I had a mountain biker struggling to get his times down. This was good. We changed his breathing methods and he found the climbs suddenly became easier, faster and he could hit the downhills harder as a result. I had a rugby who was playing in a new position in the team and struggling with making yards. This was good. He was asking for a new training plan, but his plan was on point, his issue was his tactics, his mental program needed adjusting. He researched his new role, and got back to the level of performance he expected from himself.
These are all real examples, the ones that immediately spring to mind as good examples.
There are a great many more.
Does this apply to non athletes?
Of course it does.
You MUST fail. You MUST get it wrong. You MUST try.
Only then can you do it better next time. And better again the time after.
Yes, if you don't try, you will never fail.
But you'll never progress either.
Most of what happens in your life is under your control.
It's up to you wether you take control or not.
And those things that are outside of your control, the only consideration you give to them is how prepared you are for them, how well you you measure up to them. You can't control the weather, but you can change your clothes, change your tyres etc. You can't control your opponents preparation, their strength, their stamona, their skills, their "supplements" you can onl;y ensure you have done everything you can do to get yourself ready. You can't control a virus or other illness, but you can monitor your recovery, your nutrition and if you do get sick, your frustration at not being able to perform.
Whatever happens, take Jocko's advice and see it as GOOD.
It is an opportunity to learn. To adapt and adjust.
So next time, you're better.
Regards
Dave Hedges