One of the Most Important Skills in Life
The Ability to Move On to the Next Point
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Herb Lipsman
When I was a young, competitive tennis player, I had a terrible temper. A single bad loss could ruin my week. I would sulk for days, angry at myself, replaying every missed shot and wrong decision. I did not realize then that my real opponent was not across the net. It was my inability to move on from what had already happened. No one ever taught me that lesson. I didn't have a coach or mentor to explain that success in tennis, and in life, depends less on avoiding mistakes and more on how quickly you recover from them. I wish someone had told me: You can't change the point you just lost, but you can change the outcome of the next point.
That simple truth applies far beyond sports. In business, relationships and leadership, the people who thrive are not those who avoid failure. They are the ones who know how to let go, learn and refocus. Every person we celebrate for their greatness has faced setbacks that would break most people. Thomas Edison failed over a thousand times before inventing the lightbulb. Albert Einstein was rejected for his early teaching jobs. Roger Federer lost 275 matches, even while becoming one of the greatest champions in history. Michael Jordan missed more than 9,000 shots and failed 26 game-winning attempts. Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes, two of the greatest comeback quarterbacks, have had just as many drives that fell short as ones that ended in victory.
What they all shared in common was not perfection; it was perspective. They did not live in the last moment. They returned to the present. Brady and Mahomes did not force what wasn't there. Instead, they took what the defense gave them, calmly adapting and finding opportunities others miss.
The same mindset fuels world-class leaders, scientists and entrepreneurs. They start with a plan but know it will never unfold perfectly. They assess reality as it is, not as they wish it were. They let go of what is gone and give their full attention to what is next.
It took me years to learn that success belongs to those who reset quickly and see clearly. Failure is temporary. Attention and focus are controllable. This mindset now shapes how I lead SOZO Clubs. Building something new and transformative is never a straight line. There are unexpected turns, missed shots and days when progress feels slow. I have learned that great companies, like great athletes, are defined not by avoiding mistakes, but by how fast they recover, learn and move forward with clarity and conviction.
Where would our industry be today without industry-shaping innovations like personal training, group exercise, pickleball, etc., all of which went through many, many iterations (setbacks and failures) before reaching a level of acceptance that made them permanent fixtures in health clubs everywhere? At SOZO Clubs, we will encourage all team members to take educated risks, to try new things, and to always be ready to "play the next point." To focus NOT on what went wrong, but on what we can learn on our way to doing better and getting it right. To never fear making mistakes but rather to learn from those mistakes in a culture of continuous improvement.
Many organizations unintentionally create an atmosphere of "fear of failure" or "fear of screwing up." Hence, employees play it safe and avoid taking any risks or trying new ways of doing things. Those organizations are destined to fall behind the innovators. Peter Drucker, one of the greatest business thought leaders of all time, once said: "Innovate or die."
Empower your people to take risks, to try new ways of doing things, new programs and services, and to learn from their mistakes, and you will watch your business flourish. Or, tie their hands with strict policies and procedures and punishment for making mistakes, and you will suffer the consequences. Every organization is perfectly aligned to get the results it gets!
