Last week I watched my older son try to make a play in his basketball game in the closing moments that didn’t work. They lost the game, some of his teammates were upset with him and he felt horrible. In the next game, he made the game-winning shot at the end of the game and got hugs and smiles and felt great about himself.
It can be a very short trip from the cellar to the penthouse, but I think we enjoy the view on top more if we’ve gone through the trials of defeat. I remember watching Kobe Bryant shooting airballs in the playoffs against the Utah Jazz when he was just a teenager. Those shots didn’t drag him down, they just pushed him to be a better player. He practiced his butt off to make sure that next time he was in that situation, he’d be prepared.
Failure can help bring out greatness in many people. I imagine that even Michelangelo cracked some pieces of marble before creating David, Rembrandt drew some ugly stick figures and Thomas Edison shocked himself accidentally. Practice makes perfect.
This post was inspired by my younger son, who last night missed on a chance to get a game winning basket. As the tears and sad feelings go away, I can’t wait to see what takes its place.
