Win the battle and lose the war... and vice-versa.
Michigan loses to Ohio State in "The Game" and it doesn't really matter that much. Michigan still gets a share of the conference championship and still gets to go to the Rose Bowl. That's because it's competition ended up with poorer season performances... not by much... but enough.
We all have "a bad day"... and that's okay as long as that is the exception. It's the continual "bad days" that is the problem. Then it is time for reassessment and change.
But, you know, it's not always the losing or winning that counts. Sometimes, its just the fact that you got through the "bad day".
