The Growth that Failure has Brought Me

I have always loved baseball since I was young, and I had a knack for the sport. While still in high school, I signed a semi-professional contract with Guo Bao, one of the most prestigious baseball academies in Taiwan. Eventually, I made it to the U-18 national team. During a major high school tournament known as the “Black Panther Flag,” I caught the attention of scouts from China Trust Brothers (then called the Brothers Elephants) and was added to their test roster. For a while, it seemed I’d be selected — they had one of the highest signing counts in history prior to draft day. Unfortunately, I came from a rural, poverty-stricken area with little exposure to athletics or the foundational skills most athletes need. To add to that, my physical fitness was low, and I overexerted myself during high-school pitching sessions trying to meet program standards that far exceeded normal benchmarks for someone in my condition. 

They still wanted to give me a chance, but I struggled to adapt to professional training and mentorship—novel concepts for me—and my academic performance suffered as a result. That was when I realized I had no option but to change careers, so I entered teaching within the education system.

Previously, I had focused entirely on baseball. Ever since I was young, I wanted to be a professional player, but I was unable to fully achieve that goal. During that time, I experienced a depressive episode, as I couldn’t figure out my purpose without baseball. I was baffled by the effort I’d invested, only to have it go unrecognized. It wasn’t merely disappointment. There was rage, too. Although my initial attempts to make sense of it all led to self-doubt and inner struggles fueled by anger, eventually the resolution seemed clear: “What else exists, if not baseball?”

To this day, teaching has proven beneficial for me and helped me expand my sense of worth beyond measurable achievements. Teachers help students understand their true value, which doesn’t revolve around a single passion or skill set. In retrospect, pursuing athletics meant people relentlessly fixated on performance, branding me solely by my results and quickly seeking a replacement if those results didn’t materialize. Internally, I longed to escape that cycle and embrace a mindset driven by intrinsic motivation.

Now, I use my past experiences to help students make better decisions. I’ve learned that discipline, teamwork, and pressure management can positively impact one’s education, and this allows me to guide young athletes through their psychological hurdles. Baseball instilled those qualities in me, and because of that, I work alongside students as a mentor rather than just a coach. I’ve shifted my focus from merely teaching skills to fostering the right mindset for development. That change has brought me a new sense of fulfillment and eased much of the regret I once felt: not completely, but enough to know I have value beyond the field. Going forward, I aspire to build a comprehensive sports-education framework in which learners acquire relevant skills alongside athletic sciences and develop the sound mentality essential for growth and achievement. Most importantly, forging the correct mindset enables them to maximize their potential during skill acquisition.

I hope to guide them toward seizing opportunities instead of missing out on fulfilling paths due to self-limiting circumstances. The moment even a single student is saved from my regrettable journey will bring immeasurable worth to all the efforts invested in constructing this system. Life is a journey full of twists and turns. At various points, you will face hurdles that compel you to change direction. This does not signify failure; it instead opens the door to discovering new potential within yourself. Do not hesitate to relinquish your past so that you can fully embrace what lies ahead. Focus on finding alternative paths to your goals; remember, no matter how futile your attempts may seem, invest all the energy you can muster, for ultimately everything hinges on how you choose to approach it.

- Anonymous

China

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