Last night, my son had a baseball game. Usually, he’s one of the strongest players on the team, but something was different this time. He wasn’t playing like himself. Every swing, every throw, and every play seemed off. It was clear that something was wrong, and it was hard to pinpoint exactly what the issue was.
My son had been off school and very active during the days. Maybe he was a little tired. But whatever the reason, he was clearly frustrated with his performance. After the game, we talked. I told him, “You can’t be upset or frustrated with your performance if you didn’t prepare.” And it was true—he hadn’t been practicing as much lately.
This conversation was a great motivator for him and a powerful reminder for me. Our shortcomings in success often stem from a lack of preparation. When we face failures, they either motivate us to get better or push us to quit. My son chose to be motivated.
The very next day, he decided to practice on his own. He swung the bat, threw the ball, and focused on the basics to get himself ready. It was inspiring to watch. This renewed dedication reminded me of an essential truth: when you are prepared, it’s unlikely you’ll have a bad performance. But when you don’t prepare, there’s a good chance you will—and it’s unfair to be mad about not performing well if you didn’t put in the work.
We talked about this further. I told him, “It’s okay to be mad if you don’t perform well and you did prepare. But that’s pretty rare. Most of the time, our failures are because we didn’t put in the effort beforehand.”
These moments of failure are great motivators. They help us choose our paths and inspire us to work harder to achieve what we want. My son’s difficult game turned into a valuable lesson for both of us. It showed us that preparation is key to success and that failures, while tough, can be powerful catalysts for growth.
So, the next time you face a setback, remember: it’s an opportunity to prepare better and come back stronger. Just like my son did.
