What I Learned This Week: It’s Only 1 Point

 

The most valuable lesson I’ve learned this week is the idea of It’s Only 1 Point by tennis great Roger Federer.

In his 2024 commencement address at Dartmouth University, Federer said he won 80% of his matches but only won 54% of his points. This means the best tennis players in the world barely win more than half of their points, so they have to learn how to deal with an undesired result or failure almost half of the time.

Federer said, “When you lose every second point on average, you learn not to dwell on every shot.” You learn every shot — good and bad — is only one shot and one point.

Federer said, “When you are playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you.”

He said this mindset is important because it frees you to fully commit to the next point — the most important point — with intensity, clarity, and focus.

Federer then said, “The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose — a point, a match, a season, a job. It’s a roller coaster with many ups and downs, and it’s natural when you’re down to doubt yourself and to feel sorry for yourself.”

But negative energy is wasted energy.

Federer then said, “You want to become a master of overcoming hard moments. That is the sign of a champion … The best in the world are not the best because they win every point. It’s because they know they will lose again and again and have learned how to deal with it.”

Accept your losses, cry it out if you need to, and then force a smile while moving on, being relentless, adapting, growing, and working harder and smarter.

My keys to overcoming bad plays and bad days are simple: Show up, do your job, add value. If I can do those three things, and surround myself with people who will lift me, I can bounce back from bad days and stack good ones.

Reflection Question: When you lose a “point” — a mistake, setback, or bad moment — how do you move on to the next one?