As far as losing is concerned, I was never much for investing in the concept of the ‘good loss’. More than a few coaches worked to instill in me an appreciation for progress in a failing effort and I can’t say that any of them were very pleased with the result.
The young are often possessed by an inherent belief that any and every positive result is there within their grasp for the taking. A boundless reserve of energy and an inborn assumption of one’s own immortality have a great deal to do with this, but it’s often a combination of age and a humbling by the world at large that teaches us otherwise.