Wins and Losses Come and Go—Your Work Ethic Shouldn’t

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Julie Fournier is an author, consultant, speaker, and the founder of Ball is Psych, a company dedicated to making sport psychology more accessible and easier to understand. Her book, Daily Wisdom: 366 Days of Motivational Thoughts, Quotes, and Stories, gives athletes and leaders the spark needed to make each day count.

Recently, Fournier shared a powerful reminder on X: Don’t let wins or losses change your work ethic.

Think about that for a second. How often do we let emotions dictate our effort? When things are going well, do we ease up? When setbacks hit, do we start questioning everything?

If we let feelings or external conditions determine our work ethic and consistency, sustainable excellence will always be out of reach. The real challenge? Staying faithful—to the process, the craft, and the work itself—even when motivation fades and obstacles arise.

Fournier illustrated this through Kobe Bryant’s relentless approach and mentality toward preparation:

"The agony of defeat is as low as the joy of winning is high. However, they are the exact same to me. I'm at the gym at the same time after losing 50 games as I am after winning a championship. It doesn't change for me," Kobe once said.

That’s what separates the greats. The best don’t let success make them complacent or failure shake their foundation. They show up—no matter what.

Here are some ways we can apply this mentality to our living and leading:

• Detach from Outcomes – Allow your performance to be a reflection of your habits and preparation, not the scoreboard.

• Establish Non-Negotiables – Identify 2-3 core daily actions that stay the same—win or lose, good day or bad.

• Adopt a ‘Next Play’ Mindset – Celebrate the win or learn from the loss, but always ask: What’s next? In moments of adversity, the “L” can stand for a Loss, or it can stand for a Lesson.

• Audit Your Commitment – If someone watched you daily, would they see the same effort after a setback as after a victory?

Results come and go. Conditions change. Emotions fluctuate. But discipline? That’s the foundation of sustained excellence and high performance.

So ask yourself: Are you someone who works hard only when it’s easy and things are going well? Or are you someone who commits—regardless of the circumstances?

Because in the end, consistency isn’t just a habit. It’s the difference between good and truly great.

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