This was a new lesson for me. In high school, we won all the time, in my track career and football career. I wasn’t used to losing. I know in today's world, everyone is rewarded no matter if you win or lose which is kinda nuts in my opinion. Anyway, losing was a new phenomenon for me once I arrived at college.
At URI we lost a lot. We were watching film, we studied the playbook, we were out there practicing in every and all conditions. Yet we would get our butts whooped week in and week out.
At UCONN the skill level was even higher from players to coaches yet we still lost a lot. We (other players not me) studied film like it was their job. Many of them went on to play in the NFL. Just about every position on the field put someone into the league as either a practice player or on a roster yet even with all of that talent, we got our butts kicked. Not defensively, defensively we were all that and a bag of chips I will add, but that’s beside the point.
Point is you aren’t always going to win. Sometimes shit just isn’t going to work out in your favor. In situations where there are a winner and a loser, guess what? Someone has to win, and someone has to lose and there is nothing that says the loser can’t be you. Putting in work can help it so you win more often, but it doesn’t guarantee 100% success.
How I have carried this into my professional life is knowing that you aren’t going to be right for everyone. Not everyone is going to see the value you bring. No matter what accolades you have you will always have haters, doubters, and people who may not be ready or they may never be a fit, and that’s alright. It is not the end of the world. Move on.