Sports: The Psychology of Winning

There are several components that have to do with winning athleticism. Genetics and an aptitude for coordination and athleticism definitely helps. Without athletic talent, it’s much harder for athletes to win.

The psychological components of winning and losing are more elusive:

*Some people would rather win than be happy. They will stop at nothing. These people are sometimes athletes, where it’s easy to see who wins and loses by the score, but other of these people are attorneys, business people and professionals in other fields.

*Some people equate winning with being a better person, and they hold winning in higher esteem than playing a good game.

*Some people who lose regularly don’t feel that they deserve to win, and self-sabotage.

*Some people who lose regularly are afraid to stand out or have performance anxiety. This can keep a talented athlete from winning.

*Some athletes are easily distracted and don’t know how to get into “the zone”. They are aware of every nuance around them, which keeps them from focusing on the play and winning.