Sometimes you just have to read the signs.

If you compete long enough as an athlete, you will have a race that will produce less than desirable results.  Poor performances happen, but there are signs along the way that can predict the outcomes if you pay attention.  Nutrition, environmental factors, mood changes, and training plans can all be evaluated to determine if you are on the right track.  If you do have a poor performance, learn from it, and determine what factors lead to it.  This can also be applied to life in general–work, relationships, presentations, etc.  It hurts when you have a poor performance, but it is important to learn from it, and move on.  Don’t dwell on it, you will have better perfromances ahead!