Every rep, every race, every play, it's all about progress. But what happens when progress stops? When the result doesn't match the effort? Or when you give everything you've got… and still don't win? For many athletes, failure feels like the end.
Adversity and how athletes can turn setbacks into growth
In a 2024 article, sports psychologist Denis Hauw from the University of Lausanne notes that many elite athletes are unprepared for failure, which can trigger shame, emotional collapse, and performance drop-offs. Six out of ten athletes may experience a traumatic failure event during their career.
It shouldn't be that way. Failure is not the end, it's a step. It's the moment when the true champion within you starts to grow.
Failure in sport isn't a weakness. It's feedback, a test of resilience, focus, and growth mindset. From Olympic champions to rising youth athletes, everyone learns not just to recover from setbacks, but to use them as fuel.
Failure is not the end, it's a step.
The mindset shift: No failure, only lessons
After the Milwaukee Bucks' playoff elimination in 2023, NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked if the season had been a failure. His response sparked a global conversation about failure in sports.
"You work towards a goal, it's not a failure. It's steps to success. There's always steps to it. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years were a failure? There's no failure in sports. There are good days, bad days. Some days you succeed, some days you don't. Every year, you work towards something."
Giannis' words resonated far beyond basketball. Tennis players like Maria Sakkari and Coco Gauff publicly supported his message, calling it was a powerful reminder that even elite athletes need to redefine what success means.
Because sport is binary: only one can win. But does losing mean you've failed? Life is not as binary as sport: winning is not the only way to move forward. Progress is. Learning is. The shift in perspective, from "failure" to "growth", is what separates sustainable performance from burnout. Science backs it up: studies on mental toughness show that reframing setbacks improves emotional regulation, motivation, and long-term consistency.
What adversity really does to the brain
From a psychological standpoint, failure triggers the same stress responses as physical pain. But, when managed correctly, it also activates learning centres in the brain and particularly the prefrontal cortex, which handles focus, decision-making, and emotional control. In other words: your brain literally learns through failure.
Athletes exposed to controlled adversity develop stronger neural patterns related to problem-solving and adaptability. They become not only tougher, but also smarter competitors. That's why coaches now integrate resilience training through simulations, visualization, and post-competition reflections, as part of athlete development.
Your brain learns through failure.
Case Study: The Queen Simone Biles
When Simone Biles withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, many saw it as a failure. In truth, it was one of the most courageous acts in modern sports. By prioritizing her mental health, she showed that success isn't just medals. It's about longevity, well-being, and the strength to come back stronger. Her decision inspired a global discussion about pressure, perfectionism, and the power of stepping back to rebuild.
And what followed was not a fall, but a long climb. Biles stepped away from competition for nearly two years, focusing on therapy, rest, and self-understanding. She spoke openly about trauma, pressure, and the importance of balance. Instead of hiding, she turned her story into advocacy, and I think we all owe her gratitude for that.
Her comeback at the 2023 World Championships was extraordinary: she returned to competition and won multiple golds. But the comeback we were all waiting for was at Paris 2024, where the story came full circle. Simone Biles competed again and claimed Olympic gold, and proving that resilience isn't about avoiding failure, but rising from it with wisdom and purpose.
Her victory wasn't just a medal. It was a message: success after struggle is the most powerful kind of triumph. A true champion isn't defined by perfection, but by persistence. Simone's journey perfectly captures the core of this article: when embraced and understood, failure becomes the foundation of lasting greatness.
A humorous take: The French Federation of Failure (FFL)
In France, an entire community celebrates the art of losing, seriously, and with humour. The Fédération Française de la Lose (FFL), or French Federation of Failure, was created in 2015 as a parody sports organization. But behind the jokes lies something deeper: a cultural redefinition of what it means to lose. The FFL highlights failures in French sport and turns them into moments of glory. Their motto?
"Panache, passion, fighting spirit. Where some countries swear by results, the French celebrate the romance of effort and cherish above all else their emotions as supporters."
Far from mocking, the FFL reminds us that sport isn't just about victory. It's about emotion, effort, and the beauty of imperfection. By turning loss into storytelling and win as betrayal of the "lose spirit", the FFL offers a refreshing perspective: failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of its DNA.
Failure is not the opposite of success, it's part of its DNA.
Practical takeaways for athletes, coaches, and parents
- Higher motivation after losses
- Better focus under pressure
- More resilience across seasons
So next time you stumble, remember: failure isn't the final whistle. It's the start of your next training phase.
