I see it play out on sports fields, in business, and in interpersonal interactions . . . A tendency for teams and people to play up (More aggressive and effective) when playing against a team of the same or better caliber . . . and play down (Less aggressive and effective) when playing a team considered to be of lower caliber.
This is how top notch teams sometimes get clobbered by the underdogs.
This is also why those really FUN, evenly matched competitions often end in overtime.
When I witness the mismatched games, I often see huge missed opportunities by both teams.
The underdog team has nothing to lose by being the best they can be regardless of what the scoreboard says. Even if the score is 45-0, they can still choose to play to best of their ability. I think that when the score gets that disparate, why not try something crazy?
Pull those “trick plays” out of the game book and have some fun. LEARN from the team that’s kicking your butt and be proud that you’re on the same field as such a great team.
The prevailing team also has nothing to lose (once the substantial lead is established) . . . this scenario creates a veritable laboratory for them to experiment with players in different positions – Playing the 2nd and 3rd string players – testing some of their own trick plays.
My observation is that being outperformed (losing by not scoring as many points) does NOT have to equal DEFEAT!
We are ONLY defeated if we become demoralized, unmotivated, and quit trying.
The US Army has the best slogan EVER: “Be all you can be!” and I think that sums it up – ALWAYS!
In Sunday school today, we talked about Justice, Fairness, and Love . . . and it all begins with a belief in an “Inherent and abiding dignity of every human life.”
“Every” does mean EVERY . . . Including YOURS whether you’re the underdog or the dominator.
Don’t compromise your abilities by playing up or down to the level of your competition . . . Just do the BEST you can do . . . ALWAYS.
Preservation of dignity 🙂
Chin up . . . always improving . . .
PS . . . This is what we do every at Pareto Realty as we believe that EVERYONE has “Vital Few” potential . . . It’s just that some folks (the 20%) claim theirs while the mass (the 80%) of folks don’t  – When it comes time for you to buy or sell a house, we are poised and ready to be YOUR real Estate Resource . . . and we are trained professionals being the best we can be 🙂