How Do We Define Failure?

How do we define failure? NBA great Giannis Antetokounmpo was visibly frustrated after the shock defeat in round one of the playoffs last week. At himself, and I suspect his head coach. When reporter Eric Nehm of The Athletic asked him how he viewed the loss, his response was emotional and articulate. I’ll leave you to watch the short clip. The always-thoughtful Steve Kerr, head coach of the Golden State Warriors, waded into the debate, and his response is worth watching too.



How do we define failure in sports? That’s a tough one, given all sports are designed to ensure one person or team wins and everyone else loses. The greats such as Tom Brady, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Muhammad Ali lost many times. Giannis will be in the pantheon of NBA legends, and his bigger-picture perspective captured me. Long-term vision versus short-term wins. Him thinking a couple of levels above the regular athlete interview was refreshing.

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