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Step 1
Keep your chin up. Just because you were defeated doesn't mean it is a reflection of your personality. A defeat means your opponent had an edge in some way, be it through talent, preparation or a judge's call. It does not mean that you are a personal failure.
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Step 2
Get back to the drawing board. Look at any defeat as one of life’s lessons. You should analyze what happened, learn from your mistakes and make a game plan for the next time around. Everything happens for a reason, and maybe the reason you were defeated was that you were not truly ready to accept the responsibilities of the winner yet. Reinvent yourself for the next time.
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Step 3
Congratulate the winner. Nobody likes a sore loser. Be gracious and put your hand out to shake the winner's hand.
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Step 4
Lead by example. If you are a leader on a defeated sports team, don’t storm off the field ranting and cursing. Be gracious. The rest of the team will notice your actions. How you handle yourself in trying situations is a better measure of what you’re made of than handing yourself in winning situations. Anyone can be gracious when they win, but true character is being gracious when you loose. Show your team how to respond to defeat.
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Step 5
Join the winning team. While this cannot be done in every situation such as a basketball or football game, but it can be done in political or social situations. If you are defeated, you will be considered a sore loser if you don’t brush off the defeat and join the winning team to make the much needed political or social changes.
