Which Score Board are You Watching?

There’s a unique kind of heartbreak in sports that doesn’t come from playing poorly. It comes from playing great… and still losing. You executed. You competed. You stayed present. You delivered under pressure. And then the scoreboard tells a different story. That moment is brutal—not because it exposes weakness, but because it exposes something even harder to accept: You can do your job… and still not get the outcome you wanted. And if you’ve played long enough, you’ve lived some version of it:

• you hit the ball on the screws and it’s right at someone

• you throw a perfect pitch and it’s called a ball

• you make the right play and still get beat

• you compete with everything you have and the other team still wins

It’s a lesson displayed front and center during the ice skating competition in this year’s Winter Olympics.

Now I’ll admit something. I’ve never been a fan of ice skating. And to be completely honest, I didn’t even watch Madison Chock and Evan Bates’ Olympic performance. But I did read what they said afterward—and that’s what grabbed me. They called it a “bittersweet silver.”

And that phrase caught me, because it sounded contradictory. However, I realized the phrase captured a common emotional paradox athletes feel: proud of the performance… crushed by the outcome. That’s the heartbreak. And Chock and Bates handled it in a way worth noting.

How Chock & Bates Controlled the Controllable

One of the core rules in Peak Mindset Performance is simple: Control the controllable.

Chock and Bates didn’t pretend they weren’t disappointed. They didn’t slap on fake smiles. They didn't provide cliché responses or shallow platitudes. They didn’t bypass the emotion. They acknowledged the sting. But then they did something even more important. They honored their performance, respected their preparation, and appreciated their support. They essentially communicated, “We delivered. We skated our best. We’re proud of what we put on the ice.”

That’s controlling the controllable. Because they couldn’t control:

• how the event would be scored

• what other teams would do

• what the final standings would say

But they could control:

• their commitment to the process

• their response after the result

• the story they told about themselves afterward

And that’s where most athletes either grow… or break.

The External Scoreboard vs. The Internal Scoreboard

Chock and Bates demonstrated something every athlete needs to understand: There are always two scoreboards.

The External Scoreboard

• medals

• rankings

• stats

• playing time

• selection

• calls

• wins and losses

The Internal Scoreboard

• courage

• effort

• poise

• response to adversity

• discipline

• staying connected under pressure

• competing in a way you respect

You may not be able to control the external scoreboard, but you can always manage your internal scoreboard: effort, courage, and response.

Chock and Bates didn’t win the external scoreboard the way they hoped. But they protected the internal scoreboard. And that’s the difference between a performance that scars you, and a performance that strengthens you.

The Double Lose

When athletes don’t understand this, they lose twice.

1. They lose the game.

2. Then they lose themselves.

They lose confidence. They lose freedom. They lose access. They lose the love of the sport.

But there’s another option: You can lose externally… and still win internally. Because even when the result isn’t yours to control, the response always is. And that means the internal scoreboard is always available.

The Takeaway

Sometimes you pitch like an ace… and still lose 1–0. Sometimes you hit a rocket… and the outfielder robs it. Sometimes you throw a perfect pitch… and it’s called a ball. Sometimes you play your best game… and the other team still wins. That’s sports. But you don’t have to let those moments define you. Because the truth is: You can’t always win the external scoreboard. But you can always protect the internal one. And that’s what champions do.

Want Help Building Your Internal Scoreboard?

If you’re an athlete, parent, or coach who wants to train the mental side of performance—without clichés, without fake confidence, and without losing yourself when outcomes don’t go your way—I’d love to help.

I’m Dr. Geoff Weckel, sports psychologist and founder of Peak Mindset Performance (PMP). I provide individual and group mindset coaching for athletes who want to compete with freedom, confidence, and consistency under pressure.

📞 Call/Text: 682-472-4925

🌐 Website: www.peakmindsetperformance.org

⏱️ Free 15-minute consultation available