What My Daughter's Soccer Loss Taught Me About Leadership

Soccer Loss Lessons LinkedIn Post

Part of me wanted my 11-year-old son's team to lose.

And part of me got my wish.

His team just lost the tournament final. These aren't ordinary kids - several are heading to the Atlanta United Academy. They're the kind of players that make coaches from other teams take notes.

They played beautifully. Moved the ball with precision. Created chance after chance. But they couldn't finish when it mattered.

The other team? Less technical, less skilled. But with less than a minute left, they scored the game winner.

These boys are used to winning because of their talent. This time, talent wasn't enough - and that's exactly what they needed to learn.

When skill meets no resistance, it breeds a dangerous comfort with success. These boys needed to feel the sting of defeat when it mattered most - especially when they did everything "right" but still lost.

Watching my son's face after that final whistle was heartbreaking and beautiful. The disappointment was real. The tears were genuine. And that's exactly what his development required.

As an entrepreneur, I've learned that my biggest failures taught me more than my easy wins ever did. Countless pitches were rejected - even today with my most successful company. But each "no" built the resilience that eventual success demanded.

Most people are so afraid of losing that they never even try. They stay on the sidelines while others are out there failing forward, learning that talent without effort isn't enough, that life isn't always fair - and that's perfectly okay.

My son hates to lose. Good. That fire will push him harder in training tomorrow.

The lesson I hope he carries forward: falling down isn't failure. Staying down is.

What's a loss that ended up being your biggest win?

Originally posted on LinkedIn on June 3, 2025