The number of steps between failure and success are just two; picking yourself up and trying again. From a tender age, our parents, grandparents, teachers and even friends always give failure a negative connotation. Consequently we end up missing once in a lifetime opportunities because of the fear of failing. If we take up these opportunities and fail all the same, our self-esteem is damaged. Over the years I have come to realize that there is something worse than failure; not trying at all. It is only through failure that we can find stepping stones to success. One of my greatest passions is soccer. I have played soccer since I was in elementary school, all my years at high school and at the university as well. However, I have never made it to the starting team; I have always been on the bench. During my freshman year, I recruited other soccer players at my level and formed a team which now plays in the Park District soccer league. During my freshman year we did not win any game. In fact, we were the last team in the league standing. In sophomore year, during which we had one tie and lost all the other matches, we were still at the bottom of the league standing. Currently, we are going to the senior year and we expect to win matches and improve our league standing. I have learnt a lot through the setbacks we have had as a team.
In order to play soccer, one must be psychically fit. Playing soccer entails a lot of running for the entire ninety minutes. Therefore, as soccer player one needs to be fit and have quick reflexes. As a team we have had intensive training sessions in order to improve our athletic level. Most of the team members, I recruited were at a skill and athletic level of ‘C’. However, currently most of them are at skill level ‘B’. We have learned to be resilient as team members even when it looks impossible. Despite being the last in the league standing, we are confident of winning matches in the next season and improving our league standing. I have passion for soccer. Failure to win matches has not dampened my spirits. I have also learned that social support is important in keeping our hopes and dreams alive. My parents have always been supportive despite my failures. During my low moments, they have been my pillar. They have encouraged me to keep on even when all odds seem to be against me.
I have learnt leadership skills. My failure to join the university team motivated me to start my own team with other soccer players. I created the team vision and convinced my team members to share in my vision. My vision was to top the Park District soccer league. Leadership skills are horned during moments of crisis and when set goals seem unattainable. It is during those moments that a leader needs to exercise social influence to obtain the support of other people to achieve a goal that seems elusive. It has not been easy to convince my team members that our goal is still attainable after losing a game. I have managed to hold the team together for two years now. I always encourage my team members to keep on despite the losses. After each match, we always meet to take stock of what went wrong and how we can avoid those mistakes in future matches. Lastly, I have also learnt to be confident about myself. Despite losing almost all matches, my high self-esteem has kept me going throughout the years.
In conclusion, every sport is competitive and must have a winner and loser. However, we often forget that there is more to sport than winning. Sport is meant for pure enjoyment and social gratification. Despite my failures as a soccer player, the experiences I have had as a player are worthwhile. I have developed resilience, leadership skills and ability to work with other people. My passion for soccer has remained un-wavered amidst the numerous failures.
Works Cited
Bongers, K.C.A., A. Dijksterhuis and Russell Spears. "Self-Esteem Regulation after Success and Failure to Attain Unconsciously Activated Goals." Journal of Experimental Social Psychology (2012): 1-40.
KC, Diwas, Bradley R. Staats and Francesca Gino. "Learning From my Success and From Others' Failure: Evidence from Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery." Harvard Business School Working Paper 12-065 (2012): 1-32.
