It's ok to focus on not losing.
You probably won't hear this in a movie or an iconic speech. It's not sexy. It's probably not the advice you want to hear.
Usually, we prefer things like:
"Just go for it"
"Burn the ships"
"Second place is the first loser."
Aiming for a home run, with the bases empty, and down 4 runs is just stupid.
Sahil Bloom has a great example of why you should think, "Don't be a hero":
One good swing won’t win the game, but one bad swing will put you one step closer to losing it.
When you’re down, just focus on small repeatable wins. Don’t be a hero.
Here's how:
"No one has 50 shitty versions of anything. They either have 10 shitty versions & quit, or they keep going long enough to figure it out."
— Dickie Bush
Develop systems you can repeat over and over and over again.
Eventually, your consistency will win. One single at a time. And while it might not be sexy or viral or qualify as an overnight success story, it will flip your momentum around.
Turning things around in life takes small, repeatable, little wins that rack up over time.
When you build your success over time, stick to your plan, and invest in the compound effect, you can't lose. Success becomes a matter of time. Keep your sanity, stay in the game, and keep repeating winning actions.