The world of sports often presents us with powerful lessons, and one such lesson comes from the very moments when athletes face failure. These instances of adversity offer a unique perspective on how to navigate life's challenges.
Athletes, both professional and Olympic, experience failure as frequently as they taste success. And when these failures occur on the grandest stages, they can be devastating, not just for the athletes but also for their dedicated fanbases. From Simone Biles' battle with 'the twisties' at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to Bill Buckner's infamous error in the 1986 World Series, these moments are etched in sports history.
More recently, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering joined this club when he made a crucial error that led to his team's elimination from the MLB playoffs. In the aftermath, Kerkering shared his thoughts, expressing the need to keep pushing and get over the hump. But here's where it gets controversial: moving past such failures is incredibly challenging, and it's a topic that even Pope Leo XIV addressed in a recent social media post.
"In our competitive society, where it seems only the strong and the winners deserve to live, sport also teaches us how to lose," the Pope's post read. "It forces us to confront our fragility, our limitations, and our imperfections through the art of losing."
Sports psychologists who work with athletes, from amateurs to professionals, emphasize that overcoming failure requires not just acceptance but also the right coping tools. These athletes, in many ways, serve as great role models for the general public when it comes to resilience and adversity.
One strategy employed by athletes is prior preparation. While we can't predict the future, rehearsing different scenarios and getting into the right headspace can be immensely beneficial. Robert Andrews, a renowned mental training consultant, has worked with Olympians and players from major leagues, and he stresses the importance of mental preparation. "Mental preparation is a huge part of it," Andrews says. "We would have done a lot of work to prepare [Kerkering] for a situation like that."
Another expert, performance psychologist Alex Auerbach, works with the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars and has also worked with Olympians and elite military units. He suggests a "release, reset, refocus" routine to help athletes quickly let go of mistakes and stay focused on the task at hand. "The key is redirecting attention," Auerbach explains. "When we ruminate over mistakes, it interferes with our performance."
But what happens when adversity strikes, and the game is over? The mental repair work begins. Andrews advises athletes to steer clear of social media, where hateful messages and even death threats can await. Instead, he recommends surrounding oneself with supportive loved ones. Andrews uses a protocol called EMDR (eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing) to help athletes process traumatic experiences and overcome their fears.
The good news, according to Auerbach, is that athletes are becoming more open to employing mental strategies following setbacks. "Especially in baseball, athletes are more receptive than ever to mindset work," he says. "There's a growing appreciation for the role of mental health and performance in facilitating top-level athletic achievement."
So, the next time you witness an athlete's failure, remember that it's a part of their journey, and it's through these challenges that they, and we, can learn and grow.
