Do You Always Have Bad Luck in Sports?
Summary: Perceived bad luck often becomes a self-fulfilling cycle for athletes. Instead of blaming circumstances, taking responsibility for performance and focusing on strengths allows athletes to regain control. Preparation for challenges and redirecting negative self-talk toward actionable steps helps turn setbacks into opportunities.
Do you feel you never get any breaks in competition, as if you were cursed by bad luck?
Do you feel you get unlucky bounces, unfair officiating, bad seeding, unlucky draws, inopportune equipment failure, horrible competition conditions, injuries, and opponents who are firing on all cylinders just at the right time?
You probably question, “Why do these unlucky things always happen to me?”
That’s a Good Question… Why do These Things Happen to You?
Why does bad luck seem to follow you constantly?
When you think you’re unlucky, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Every bad break will become evidence to support your belief that you are unlucky.
The reality is all athletes get bad breaks…
It’s just that some athletes perpetuate the bad luck cycle by calling themselves unlucky while other athletes rely on effort to move past those bad breaks.
How Can you Turn your Supposed Luck Around?
Take responsibility for your performance!
Don’t blame your performance on bad luck. Look to those performances for insight to improve future performances.
Taking responsibility requires that you focus on your strengths rather than misfortune.
Focusing on misfortune hurts your effort and leads to under-performance.
Focusing on your strengths will keep you motivated to try to turn the tide, to make your own breaks rather than passively waiting for some opportunity to come your way.
Focusing on your strengths will help you see what you can do, right now, to turn things around instead of getting stuck on what has already happened.
Taking responsibility also requires that you prepare for all contingencies.
Preparation is a proactive step that helps you develop the physical and mental tools to meet challenges.
If you take responsibility for your level of performance, then you have the power to improve future performances.
Taking Responsibility Puts the Ball in your Court
Taking responsibility is what the Ottawa Senators know they need in order to break out of their mini slump.
The Senators had a stretch of six losses in seven games.
One particular loss really hit hard when they allowed the Tampa Bay Lightning to tie the game with 27 seconds left in regulation and then lost the game 14 seconds into overtime.
Ottawa defenseman Mark Borowiecki talked about the team’s need to take responsibility for their level of play in order to be better prepared for future games.
BOROWIECKI: “As a group, collectively, we’ve got to take some ownership for our play and our results. It’s been a few too many years here for us where the players haven’t taken ownership. We’re going through a rough patch here and this is where it’s a true test of our personalities and a true test of the group we have in here.”
Ultimately, the athlete that recovers from bad breaks is the athlete that asks themselves, “What now?” Instead of, “Why me?”
That is the essence of personal responsibility.
Turning Your Game Around:
Taking responsibility is a matter of focus and effort, not excuses.
Monitor your self-talk…
When you notice that you start blaming performance on outside sources, redirect your focus by asking, “What positive step can I do right now?”
Changing your luck is a matter of making your luck.
Taking Responsibility For Your Game
1. Take Responsibility for Your Performance
Stop blaming bad luck, officials, or circumstances. Focus on what you can control to improve your future performances.
2. Focus on Your Strengths
Concentrate on your skills and abilities rather than setbacks. Leveraging your strengths keeps motivation high and prevents under-performance.
3. Prepare for All Contingencies
Anticipate challenges and develop both physical and mental tools to handle them. Preparation reduces the impact of unexpected setbacks and boosts confidence.
4. Redirect Negative Self-Talk
When you catch yourself blaming external factors, immediately ask, “What positive step can I take right now?” This proactive mindset helps you regain control and “make your own luck.”
Related Sports Psychology Articles:
- Moving Past Missed Opportunities in Competition
- Tips for Slump Busting for Athletes
- How to Overcome Excuses to Improve Performance in Sports
Boost Your Self-Confidence With Expert Mental Game Coaching!
Expert mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn can help you overcome your mental game issues in sports with personal coaching. We do mental training with athletes of all levels and ages–about 12 years and up. And mental training is not just for elite or professional athletes.
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FAQ: Taking Responsibility to Turn Your Game Around
Q: Why do some athletes feel they are constantly unlucky?
A: Believing you are unlucky can become a self-fulfilling prophecy, making every setback seem like proof of bad luck.
Q: How can athletes break the cycle of bad luck?
A: Focus on personal responsibility, preparation, and leveraging your strengths instead of blaming external factors.
Q: What does taking responsibility in sports mean?
A: It means controlling what you can, improving your skills, preparing for challenges, and focusing on actionable steps to enhance performance.
Q: How can focusing on strengths help performance?
A: Concentrating on what you do well maintains motivation, prevents under-performance, and empowers you to turn setbacks into opportunities.
Q: How should athletes handle negative self-talk?
A: Redirect it by asking, “What positive step can I take right now?” This shifts focus from blame to action and helps regain control over performance.
Q: Can preparation reduce the impact of bad breaks?
A: Yes. Anticipating challenges and developing mental and physical tools allows athletes to respond effectively to unexpected setbacks.
Dr. Patrick Cohn is an expert mental performance coach who has helped athletes for over 30 years enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master’s degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology.