There is a big difference between playing to win, and playing not to lose.
There are no ideal circumstances. There will never be. We need sometimes to sail with the wind and sometimes against it, but sail we must.
For those who play not to lose, the pressure saps the energy, and the same pressure makes people who play to win, prepare harder. One who play not to lose, lose energy worrying about losing instead concentrating their efforts on winning.
-from the Book, 'You Can Win'