Niners’ running back Frank Gore says his team was better than the Baltimore Ravens.

Fine. Unfortunately, there’s no category for the better team in the Super Bowl. There’s only a list of teams that scored more points than the opponent. And Sunday, that was Baltimore, 34-31.

“It was just a couple plays here, a couple plays there,” Gore said, explaining the outcome.

Gore’s words can’t undo what happened to his team Sunday, but they can give hope to you.

The best team doesn’t always win.

The team that plays best wins.

Could there possibly be better news for you? You don’t have to BE better than the opponent. You just have to PLAY better.

Here’s a formula: P=S-I

P stands for performance, S stands for skill and I stands for interference. Your performance equals skill minus interference. What’s interference? It can be nerves, distractions, lack of confidence.

If the Niners were indeed the better team, they lost because of interference. Don’t let that happen to you.

Prepare as well as you can, then play as hard as you can!

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Would you like to improve at what you do? “The Improvement Factor: How Winners Turn Practice into Success” can show you how! Are you a coach? “Ten Things Great Coaches Know” can make you a better one. Looking for motivation? Read “Thank God You’re Lazy!: The Instant Cure for What’s Holding You Back.” Want a companion for your season? Listen to “How to Survive Your Sports Season.”