Issue 095
December 2012
How to get your mind right after a loss
Joe Bell
Sport psychologist
Joe Bell is a chartered sport psychologist and one of few leading mental performance coaches in the world specializing in combat sport psychology.
Losing in front of your family, teammates, fans and coaches is a heartache few can truly understand. As a fighter, your ability to keep the fire stoked and stand up strong when you’re down is going to be your true test; but do you possess the right mind-set to bounce back?
All fighters I have worked with, from amateurs to former Pride champions who have been bested on the night, actually do a better job initially at beating themselves up than their opponent did. After a loss, a common trait surfaces among many fighters: they experience a self-destruct paranoia that specifically targets their pride. They imagine everyone they run into senses their failure and scorns them because of it.
The truth is, those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind. Folk in the fighting world, the ones who really understand the nature of this great sport, know there comes a time when even great champions lose. MMA is the most unforgiving sport on the planet. Accept the fact you’re only human and you’re going to make mistakes and losing is part of personal growth in this brutal game.
MIND-SET
In the field of positive psychology, a mind-set is described as a reflection of how a person views himself or herself in life. Their actions are formed by this view. Research shows us fighters have one of two mind-sets: growth or fixed.
Fixed mind-set fighters often believe their own hype. It’s dangerous because they judge their skill-set as complete and good enough to beat anybody. When they eventually face defeat it can be a huge shock to the system. They struggle to accept the fact they’re not invincible and this destroys confidence. So, as a defense mechanism fighters attempt to justify their losses. ‘It was a short notice fight. I didn’t have enough time to prepare.’ ‘It was his night.’ ‘The ref jumped in too soon.’ Or, ‘I’ve got an injury.’
In contrast, growth mind-set fighters are realistic. They understand that unless they’re open to the rapid velocity of mixed martial arts’ evolution their future in the sport will be short lived. They believe their skill-set is something continually honed. This attitude allows them to overcome adversity to ultimately succeed where they have failed. They rarely, if at all, make excuses for poor performance and opt for the raw, honest approach.
WHAT TO DO
Combat psychologists agree that fighters who accept a loss and raise their hand and admit their mistakes and are willing to do something about it, versus those who try talk their way out of why they lost, increase their chances of success significantly.
To help fighters on the road back I use a rough-and-ready acronym: FIST (see boxout). It successfully encourages and nurtures the growth mind-set to help fighters steer their way through coming in second. Why not post a version on your gym wall?
A fighter should always focus on the things they have control over. Poor judging and bad calls from referees are out of their hands. Accepting this type of decision is a tough pill to swallow, particularly if it was close fight. I remind fighters they should rationalize any loss with a growth mind-set. It helps them move on and avoid the snare of low self-esteem.
F.I.S.T. Theory
FOCUS
First understand and accept the loss. Try to rationalize it with a growth mind-set. It’s natural to be disappointed but don’t let it consume you. Let it go, move on. If you’ve never lost then you’ve never fought the best.
IMPROVE
Studying a losing performance is paramount in knowing where you went wrong and where you need to fill gaps in your game. This requires self-awareness and honesty when exposing chinks in your armor. Coaches and training partners will play an important role in making sure mistakes are not repeated. Think about it: if you were coaching you, how would you go about making you better?
SEE
You have to constantly visualize (targeted and controlled imagery) how you can implement a refined skill-set. For example, just thinking about a sprawl can actually stimulate electrical activity in the specific muscle groups used, even though there’s no actual movement in the muscles themselves! Visualization primes muscles for the subsequent execution of the technique.
TEAMMATES
Your camp plays an integral role in helping you cope with a loss and rebuilding confidence. The healing power of camaraderie is an extremely powerful and infectious one. Most have been there themselves and they know that dented pride can do you more damage than the fight itself. But, honestly, they’re really feeling sorry for whoever has to fight you next.
