Tiger Woods knows what this feels like. Sunday he was so close to turning the tide and winning again. He and fellow golfer Graeme McDowell were tied, in the hunt and Tiger failed again. He came up short. It’ been 378 days since Tiger experienced a major golf victory. That’s a long, frustrating dry spell.

The Carolina Panthers football team haven’t seen but one W since the 2010 season started and they have a whole team to help avoid the dreaded defeat zone. The list of athletes and entrepreneurs who experience being a loser every Monday is nothing new. Statistics indicate for every winner there are multiples of many losers. Being a Monday morning loser does not mean you are lazy, lacking talent, or don’t deserve to win, it does mean that you have work to do.

Whether you are an athlete or an entrepreneur, here are seven steps to changing the loosing story.

1) Shake it off, yesterday is history.
2) Review game film, the events, the processes in the activity and talk to others who witnessed it.
3) Re visit the equipment used, the uniform worm, and all the components that were part of the failing short.
4) Make adjustments, this could mean with the team, the routine behind the preparation, adding something, lessening something. Changing something.
5) Believe that you are a winner. Affirm there is no reason why you can’t be the victor.
6) Focus, focus. focus.
7) Don’t get discouraged. And don’t give up. If you do, you are are just guaranteeing your spot as a loser.

Tiger will taste victory again and so will the Carolina Panthers. And if you’ve felt defeat recently you will too.  Athletes are in business, entrepreneurs are athletes.

Stay competitive. Preparation is vital. See and feel the result, it’s up to you.

Don’t forget to check out: Forgive me, I’m using an excuse card tonight.