Nobody likes to lose—not even me. Yet, to live a life without ever experiencing loss or disappointment is impossible. Sometimes I think we forget this when we look back at our glorious youth. I know I’m always more willing to recount my life’s victories than the losses, but when I give it honest consideration, there have been many disappointments along the way. Does this make me a failure? No. And I think this is what is missing for many of the rising generation I see around me.

Not everything in life will go the way you want. Sometimes you will bomb that test you studied for. Maybe you’ll practice your guts out and still won’t make the team.  Or maybe you’ll make the team but never win a game. The variables are endless, but to lose does not make you a failure. Failures only happen when we give up, stop trying to learn and improve despite the disappointments. Yet, neither is a life well lived if you only do things that come easy to you. DON’T BE AFRAID TO LOSE. Most of life’s growth happens during a struggle.  So be bold, live a life out of your comfort zone, fall on your face, screw up royally. As long as you don’t give up, you CANNOT fail.