Cry it out sis (or bro, or whomever; we don’t discriminate around these parts). Let those tears flow. You worked harder than you ever though possible, sacrificed time, and put in the effort. And you know what? Sometimes the stars don’t align and it just isn’t your day. And yeah. That shit fucking hurts. I have for sure cried after a loss, in competition and in life, and I learned lots of things along the way. First and foremost, crying can definitely be therapeutic and a type of cathartic release beneficial to our mental health. What’s not healthy, however, is to let these thoughts linger and ferment for longer than necessary. A good 20 minute cry followed by a 10 minute decompression is fine. But all that thinking about your mistakes and bathing in your misery and festering in your sadness will do is just make you feel worse. You can’t go back in time and change anything, so pondering on all the possible ‘what-if’ scenarios will drive you insane. Let those tears flow, but only as long as necessary to reign in the emotions and keep pushing forward.
One performance doesn’t necessarily mean it’s your penultimate or even final excursion on the scene. It may feel like it is the time to hang it up and re-evaluate your goals in life. But perhaps it is just time to go back to the drawing board and push past those hard points in the journey that try to make you quit. Remember, we are better than that. We are more than the few minutes someone sees of us on the mats or in the cage. It may feel like we are defined by one single and sole competition, but that is simply not the case. Never in my life have I thought any less of any person ever for coming up short in a fight or a match. But I have definitely thought less of someone who quit or gave up, and I am not sorry for thinking that way.
People who don’t work so incredibly hard to reach success have no idea how to relate and empathize with someone who does. In fact, there are some people who will simply live life with apathy and just haphazardly attempt things along the way because they don’t want to deal with the absolute heartache that can coincide with giving one task everything you’ve got, and still failing. Everyone will fail at one thing or another. The greater of feats you attempt, means the greater the heartbreak associated with coming up short. But failure at a goal does not make you a failure in life. In fact, sometimes you can do everything right, and still fail. That’s not being a loser, that’s just life.
When we come up short on our goals and dreams, it can be a very fine line between what builds us and what breaks us. It’s hard not to dwell on the pain running across your mind in the quiet hours just before bed or the stillness and calm associated with those long, hot showers as we try to wash away the pain and embarrassment we feel at our shortcomings. I have been there, more times than I care to admit, where I needed a shoulder to cry on or a shower to drown my sorrows in. And then I did the hardest thing I ever had to do and own up to my losses, dust myself off, and get back in the gym the very next day. Personally, I believe I just don’t have it in me to give up and never try again. In the words of MC Lyte, “I ain’t going out like a sucka, no way.”
You are not a loser, not for one damn second, and should anyone on my team think otherwise, I won’t hesitate to punch them in the fucking face (consensually) to snap them out of it. I view all my teammates as champions. Again, sometimes it just isn’t our day. Sometimes we bust our asses and still fail. Sometimes others prepare completely incorrectly and luck into wins regardless. Thats life. It’s not some picture perfect fairytale where everything always works out and the protagonist always comes out on top. My story isn’t finished yet, and any of these setbacks are just steps in adversity to fuel my growth. At the end of the day, I am lucky to have my health, my family, my friends, and my happiness and I am grateful of every opportunity that comes my way. Nothing else to do but get back in the gym and keep on trucking.

Omg… This was me at comp on Friday. It stung so hard to freeze on the mat but damnit I am back to the drawing board and I will take back what’s mine.
54 years old and going strong
#olladyjiujitsu
<3
Thank you for putting eloquent words to how so many of us feel this week.
You’re so welcome!
Stunning quest there. What happened after? Take care!
har også bogmærket dig for at se på nye ting på din blog Hej! Har du noget imod, hvis jeg deler din blog med min facebook
fortsæt med at guide andre. Jeg var meget glad for at afdække dette websted. Jeg er nødt til at takke dig for din tid
Děkuji|Ahoj všem, obsah, který je na této stránce k dispozici.
Tak Hej der til alle, det indhold, der findes på denne
gruppe? Der er mange mennesker, som jeg tror virkelig ville
skupině? Je tu spousta lidí, o kterých si myslím, že by se opravdu
Awesome site you have here but I was wondering if you knew of any discussion boards that cover the same topics talked about in this article? I’d really like to be a part of online community where I can get responses from other experienced individuals that share the same interest. If you have any suggestions, please let me know. Kudos!
Obrigado|Olá a todos, os conteúdos existentes nesta
e dizer que gosto muito de ler os vossos blogues.
|Hello to all, for the reason that I am actually keen of
Hello! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any issues with hackers? My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up losing several weeks of hard work due to no back up. Do you have any methods to protect against hackers?
webside er virkelig bemærkelsesværdig for folks oplevelse, godt,
I love your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you create this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to create my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. appreciate it
I am often to blogging and i also truly appreciate your content. Your content has really peaks my interest. Let me bookmark your web site and maintain checking for brand spanking new information.
Introducing to you the most prestigious online entertainment address today. Visit now to experience now!
Can you be more specific about the content of your article? After reading it, I still have some doubts. Hope you can help me.
Nice blog here Also your site loads up very fast What host are you using Can I get your affiliate link to your host I wish my site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own blog and was wondering what all is needed to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very internet savvy so I’m not 100 sure. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Kudos
After all, what a great site and informative posts, I will upload inbound link – bookmark this web site? Regards, Reader.
First released in Japan because the Nissan Fairlady Z, the renamed Datsun 240Z hit North American shores in late 1969.
This is a good tip particularly to those new to the blogosphere. Brief but very accurate information… Many thanks for sharing this one. A must read post.
You need to take part in a contest for one of the best blogs on the web. I will highly recommend this site!
fortsæt med at guide andre. Jeg var meget glad for at afdække dette websted. Jeg er nødt til at takke dig for din tid
Way cool! Some very valid points! I appreciate you writing this post and also the rest of the website is very good.
Rattling great info can be found on blog. “Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it.” by Donald Robert Perry Marquis.
I was very happy to search out this internet-site.I wanted to thanks in your time for this excellent learn!! I positively enjoying every little bit of it and I’ve you bookmarked to check out new stuff you blog post.
An interesting discussion is worth comment. I think that you should write more on this topic, it might not be a taboo subject but generally people are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
Sweet blog! I found it while searching on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Cheers
Utterly indited subject material, Really enjoyed looking at.
Great wordpress blog here.. It’s hard to find quality writing like yours these days. I really appreciate people like you! take care
Some truly nice stuff on this internet site, I enjoy it.
My brother recommended I may like this website. He used to be totally right. This put up truly made my day. You cann’t imagine simply how a lot time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
Hello my friend! I wish to say that this article is amazing, great written and come with almost all important infos. I would like to look more posts like this .
I beloved up to you’ll receive carried out right here. The caricature is tasteful, your authored subject matter stylish. however, you command get got an shakiness over that you would like be handing over the following. sick without a doubt come more earlier once more since precisely the same just about very incessantly inside of case you defend this increase.
I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Keep up the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂
Some times its a pain in the ass to read what people wrote but this website is really user pleasant! .
Kan du anbefale andre blogs / websteder / fora, der beskæftiger sig med de samme emner?
Hi there, just became aware of your blog through Google, and found that it’s truly informative. I am gonna watch out for brussels. I’ll appreciate if you continue this in future. Lots of people will be benefited from your writing. Cheers!
I have not checked in here for a while since I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are great quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my everyday bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I just could not go away your site prior to suggesting that I actually enjoyed the usual info an individual provide to your visitors? Is going to be again continuously in order to investigate cross-check new posts.
Good day very cool blog!! Man .. Beautiful .. Superb .. I will bookmark your web site and take the feeds also…I am glad to seek out numerous helpful info right here within the submit, we want develop more techniques on this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
F*ckin’ awesome things here. I’m very glad to see your post. Thanks a lot and i am looking forward to contact you. Will you please drop me a mail?
Hey there, I think your website might be having browsercompatibility issues. When I look at your website in Ie, it looks fine but when opening in Internet Explorer, it has someoverlapping. I just wanted to give you a quick heads up!Other then that, great blog!
Hello.This post was extremely fascinating, especially because I was searching for thoughts on this matter last Thursday.
I would like to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in writing this web site. I’m hoping the same high-grade web site post from you in the upcoming also. In fact your creative writing abilities has encouraged me to get my own site now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings rapidly. Your write up is a good example of it.
I’m still learning from you, but I’m trying to reach my goals. I certainly liked reading all that is written on your website.Keep the posts coming. I enjoyed it!
I was looking at some of your posts on this website and I conceive this internet site is very instructive! Keep putting up.
You actually make it seem so easy together with your presentation however I find this matter to be actually one thing which I think I might by no means understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I’m having a look ahead for your subsequent submit, I will try to get the grasp of it!
I have been checking out a few of your stories and i can state pretty good stuff. I will make sure to bookmark your website.
Very interesting subject, regards for putting up.
I haven’t checked in here for some time as I thought it was getting boring, but the last few posts are good quality so I guess I’ll add you back to my daily bloglist. You deserve it my friend 🙂
I couldn’t resist commenting
I got good info from your blog
Hello, i feel that i noticed you visited my site so i came to “return the desire”.I’m attempting to in finding things to improve my web site!I suppose its adequate to use some of your ideas!!
I like what you guys are up too. Such intelligent work and reporting! Carry on the superb works guys I have incorporated you guys to my blogroll. I think it will improve the value of my web site 🙂
Hey very nice site!! Man .. Beautiful .. Amazing .. I will bookmark your website and take the feeds also…I am happy to find numerous useful information here in the post, we need develop more strategies in this regard, thanks for sharing. . . . . .
Hi, Neat post. There is a problem with your website in internet explorer, would test this… IE still is the market leader and a large portion of people will miss your magnificent writing due to this problem.
Some truly quality articles on this web site, saved to favorites.
I gotta favorite this website it seems very helpful very beneficial