As
Michael Jordan once said, “I’ve failed over and over in my life, and that is
why I succeed.” Two things can happen when you fail: you can pity yourself and
let negative thoughts take over, or you can learn from the situation and push
yourself harder to be a better person and/or athlete.
My junior year tennis season I made it all the way to the singles state championship. I won the first set 6-4, lost the second set 0-6, and lost the grueling third set 4-6. I was mentally and physically drained. Being that close to my dream of winning a state championship and losing was heartbreaking. That awful feeling I got in my gut knowing I failed was one I never want to feel again. As I look back on it now, I realize how important it is to know how to lose the right way in life. Some may fail more than others, but failing is inevitable. It is easy to be thankful and mature when you win. A person's true character comes out when they lose. Sure, if I would've gotten to one more ball, hit one more winner, or served one more ace, I would be a state champion. But the past is the past and there's nothing I can do about it now. I am proud of the fact that I was able to hold myself together, look at the positives, and take in the moment. The girl who beat me was just as deserving of that state title as me.
My junior year tennis season I made it all the way to the singles state championship. I won the first set 6-4, lost the second set 0-6, and lost the grueling third set 4-6. I was mentally and physically drained. Being that close to my dream of winning a state championship and losing was heartbreaking. That awful feeling I got in my gut knowing I failed was one I never want to feel again. As I look back on it now, I realize how important it is to know how to lose the right way in life. Some may fail more than others, but failing is inevitable. It is easy to be thankful and mature when you win. A person's true character comes out when they lose. Sure, if I would've gotten to one more ball, hit one more winner, or served one more ace, I would be a state champion. But the past is the past and there's nothing I can do about it now. I am proud of the fact that I was able to hold myself together, look at the positives, and take in the moment. The girl who beat me was just as deserving of that state title as me.
That one loss doesn’t define me as a tennis player or as a person. As much as I hate failing, I know I am a much more sympathetic and understanding person because of my failures. I am so thankful for my failures because without them I would not appreciate succeeding nearly as much.
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