Approximately a 4-minute read

Good Morning!

In professional sports, there’s something you rarely see in the highlight reels: The years of adversity it took to make it to the top.
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I've had multiple conversations with many professional athletes, men and women who have clawed their way to the peak of their sport. Over and over again, one truth keeps coming up: The journey to the highest level is paved with moments when they could have quit. In fact, many almost did. But they didn’t because they loved it too much to stop.​
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We don’t talk enough about the power of love for the craft. About how passion isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s what gets you through the hard days, the losing streaks, the injuries, the criticism, the silence after being fired, and the loneliness that sometimes comes with chasing something bigger than yourself.
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Statistically, very few athletes make it to the top. But statistics don’t capture the invisible cost: the tears, the self-doubt, the injury rehabs, the sleepless nights. The sacrifices no one applauds.
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We often ask, “What would you do if you knew you couldn’t fail?” It’s a popular question meant to inspire big dreams and bold action. But maybe the better question is this: What would you still do even if you knew failure was likely?
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That flips the question on its head, because it forces you to examine what you truly care about. It removes the safety net of probable success. It strips away external rewards and leaves only the work, the craft, the process.
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If the odds were stacked against you—and you knew it—what would you still show up for?
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Whatever that is, chase it because that’s where the joy is. Not in the trophies or titles. But in the doing.
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That’s the principle many of the greats understand. They didn’t just sign up for the wins; they signed up for the losses, the bruises, heartbreak, and long haul as well.
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Excellence requires the ability to tolerate pain. If you’re feeling discouraged, if it feels like you’re getting punched in the face over and over again, remind yourself: “This is part of it.”​
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The pain doesn’t signal that you’re failing; it’s proof you’re in the game.
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So today, take one step forward. Even if it’s hard. Even if it hurts. Even if no one notices. Stack that win, then stack another.
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And if you’ve lost direction, go back to your “why.” Reconnect with what you love. That’s where your power lives.
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Here’s the question again: What would you do if you knew failure was likely, but you still want to do it anyway?

Try it for yourself:

If you're feeling discouraged in something you care about right now, grab a piece of paper.

Step 1: Write down one sentence: "Even if I knew failure was likely, I would still do ___, because ___."

Step 2: Fill in that second blank honestly, and check it:

• Does my reason point to the work itself, the craft, the growth, the love of doing it?
• Or does it point to a reward, like money, titles, or recognition?

Step 3: Then, once a day, take two minutes to write three lines:

• One step I took forward today (however small).
• One thing that hurt or discouraged me.
• Next to that hurt, write: "This is part of it," and one note on what it taught or built.

Don't just track your wins. Track what you endured to get them.

You may find the hard days start to feel different, not because the pain goes away, but because you've decided it's proof you're still in the game rather than a reason to quit.

Final Self-Reflection Question

"What would you still show up for even if you knew failure was likely?"

Until next week,

Justin

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