Day 21 of 100 Days of Growth: Learning from Failure

Previously on Day 11, I talked about Sportsmanship as my core principle "TERMS," highlighting the themes of respecting the game, treating opponents as fellow sportsmen, recognizing team effort, and remembering your passion.

Today, I’m reflecting further on this topic, inspired by Vivian Kong from my hometown, Hong Kong. She recently clinched a gold medal in fencing at the Paris Olympics, sparking a wave of praise.

However, her journey was not without its hurdles. She faced numerous setbacks and missed opportunities along the way, including a fierce injury that no athlete wants to come across, a ruptured ACL. As I mentioned on Day 11, there is only one gold medal winner, but that doesn’t mean others are losers in a broader sense. Her success lies in her ability to view previous failures as learning experiences rather than defeats. Her mindset of perseverance and continuous improvement ultimately led her to this triumph.

This reminded me of a recent speech by Roger Federer at Dartmouth. He emphasised the importance of laser focus during play and the ability to move on after the game. Federer stated, “When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world, and it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you.” This mindset, he explained, allows you to commit fully to the next challenge without dwelling on past outcomes. It’s not about winning every point but about how you handle losses and continue to strive for excellence.

Both Federer and Kong exemplify the principle that failure is not the end but a stepping stone to success. Or, as I’d like to take it a step further: there is no such thing as failure. It’s simply not your turn to win yet. With this mindset, you will never lose.

Cheers!