I wanted to discuss why I believe facing challenges directly is so crucial, particularly when it comes to personal growth.

I’ve got a story about my son and his time in a three-on-three basketball league that really drives this home. His team was up against older, stronger players, and let’s just say they took quite a few losses. It could’ve been a real downer, but honestly, I’ve seen how those tough games pushed them to get so much better—both in their skills and in bouncing back from setbacks.

I can’t help but think about what this means for all of us, you know? So often, schools and even us parents focus on keeping things safe and comfy for kids, but are we missing out on the big lessons that come from competing and even failing sometimes?

I really believe we need to take more risks and embrace the hard stuff, whether it’s on the court or just in everyday life. Those challenges are what shape us and help us grow. What do you think—have you seen this play out in your own experiences?

Takeaways:

In youth sports, competition often overshadows the importance of skill development and teamwork.
Challenging children with difficult opponents can lead to significant growth and improvement.
Losing is a valuable learning experience that teaches resilience and the importance of effort.
We should encourage taking risks in life, as growth often comes from facing challenges.
The societal tendency to avoid challenges prevents personal development and skill enhancement.
Parents and coaches must focus on the process of learning rather than just winning games.

Links referenced in this episode:

The Do More Podcast

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/

CNLP 366 | Gordon MacDonald on The View From 80, 15 Life and Leadership Lessons After Eight Decades of Life

The Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast

Raising Teachable Successors

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