4/16/2024

Failure or Opportunity

Which do you choose?

I spent the last two days at spring training speaking to the Colorado Rockies. Whenever I speak to baseball players, I’m reminded that failure happens often in baseball.

In fact, many call baseball a game of failure because even a Hall of Famer will fail to get a hit 2 out of 3 times. Most players will fail to get a hit 3 out of 4 times. A pitcher will give up hits and home runs and fielders will make errors.

Yes, baseball is a game where you fail often. But when speaking to the players and coaches, I offered a different perspective.

I said, “I don’t believe baseball is a game of failure. I believe it’s a game of opportunity!”

No matter what happened on the last play, pitch, or at bat, you get the opportunity to make the next one great.

In the words of Babe Ruth, “Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.”

It’s the same way with life. Anyone pursuing anything worthwhile will fail and fail often.

I certainly have failed many times. But when I look back, I realize I wasn’t failing. I was growing. I wasn’t failing – I was becoming.

I’ve learned that you can dwell on the past or look forward to making the next opportunity great.

You can see life as a game of failure or opportunity.

How you see it has a huge impact on your mindset, attitude, energy, and the results you produce in the future.

The best is yet to come!

- Jon