I’ve admired tennis maestro Roger Federer for a long time. With my dad, we enjoyed many matches where he would dominate with his all-court skills — combining power with finesse. (That one-handed backhand!)

Now, it was lovely to watch his 2024 Commencement Speech at Dartmouth. It's worth the watch in full, but I particularly liked this message: It’s only a point.

Federer dropped an eye-opening stat: out of 1526 single matches he played, he won 80% of the matches but only 54% of the points. On average, he lost every second point. Crazy to think - given the greatness he has commanded.

His advice was always to play the point with gusto. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. Whether an amazing shot or a horrible stinker, it’s one and done. Don’t give it any more energy - it will allow you to fully commit to the next point with intensity, clarity, and focus.

An excellent reminder. We’re going to lose a lot of points in life. But they are moments in time. Good to have a short-term memory but a long-term outlook.

“To me, a sign of a champion is not because they win every point; it’s because they lose again and again and have learned to deal with it. Move on, be relentless, adapt, and grow.”