The Power of Failure Faith Friedly

The soccer ball is coming right at my face, I flinch momentarily and it bounces off me into my own goal. What have I done? In short, I have most likely just caused my team to lose the game, and all because I moved a bit to the right. In the moment, I was sure that this was my greatest failure on the field and there was no hope for a win. All that mattered in the moment was that I failed my team and there would be no amazing comeback like in a Hollywood movie. That one action had probably just ruined my team’s chances of playing for first place. It did not occur to me until much later that while my failures are not going to feel beneficial in the moment; it is what I accomplish after the drawback that defines me.

First, let me go into detail what happening during that soccer tournament one spring day last year. The teams were tied at one in the second half and I was playing as the central defender. Then it happened: the opposing team took a corner kick and I tried to get the ball out of the box. However, it hit my shoulder and went into our own goal. I was literally crushed, sinking on my knees, apologizing to the rest of the defense while the rival team was cheering and congratulating each other. I thought for sure the game...