Overcoming failure in sport: A self-forgiveness framework

Abstract

Within the winner or loser dichotomy that exemplifies competitive sport, athletic success hinges on the ability to overcome and respond constructively to failure. This article introduces self-forgiveness as an adaptive, purposeful approach to coping with competitive sport performance failure in a way that stimulates personal growth and combats loss of motivation. In contrast to defensive responses that shield self-integrity, genuine self-forgiveness is reached through a process in which athletes (a) accept personal responsibility for their role in the unsuccessful performance outcome and (b) restore self-regard by affirming the self. Although athletes expose themselves to uncomfortable emotional experiences associated with failure, self-forgiveness is proposed as a process that enables athletes to objectively evaluate unsuccessful performances, identify areas warranting improvement, and develop adaptive psychological recovery responses to failure.

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“…Self-forgiveness is a frequently constructive approach to coping with competitive performance failure in a manner that promotes self-development and well-being (Cowden and Worthington 2019). Athletes are often at least partially responsible for failing to meet their performance expectations and acknowledgement of such is key to genuine self-forgiveness.…”

“…Athletes are often at least partially responsible for failing to meet their performance expectations and acknowledgement of such is key to genuine self-forgiveness. Genuine self-forgiveness -falling between self-punishment and self-exonerations -acknowledges an athlete's role in the sport failure (Cowden and Worthington 2019). Taking personal accountability is a way to take ownership within the coping process.…”

Psychologie du sport : une psychologue aux Jeux Olympiques (1re partie)

“…L'e ´chec dans le sport est une expe ´rience qui suit l'incapacite ṕerc ¸ue d'un athle `te a `atteindre un crite `re de performance inte ´riorise ćomme marqueur de succe `s. Selon le mode `le de Lazarus et Folkman, l'e ´chec est perc ¸u comme une menace a `l'atteinte de l'objectif. Cette menace suscite des re ´actions e ´motionnelles ne ´gatives telles que la honte, la cole `re et l'anxie ´te ´ [4].…”

“…Nombreux sont ceux qui ont de ´ja `subi un e ´puisement sportif, comme Adil Rami ou Simon Biles. D'ailleurs, pour la plupart des athle `tes, l'impact des e ´motions ne ´gatives est plus fort que l'impact des e ´motions positives [4]. J'ai moi-me ˆme de ´ja `ve ´cu des moments ou `je souhaitais m'isoler car les e ´motions inconfortables auxquelles nous nous exposons re ´gulie `rement nous rendent vulne ´rables.…”

“…Les de ´tails y sont tre `s importants et la pression extre ˆmement pre ´sente. Ces de ´sillusions font partie de notre quotidien de sportifs de haut niveau et vivre des de ´faites, me ˆme pour les plus grands athle `tes, est ine ´vitable [4].…”