Dear Humans,

I play cards with my dad and brothers and I really, really like to win. And I really, really hate to lose, especially to my brothers.

But when I do win, it’s usually because of luck or my opponent’s mistake. And that doesn’t teach me much about the game. In fact, sometimes when I win I’m not sure how it happened at all. Often the only lesson we learn from winning is “Hey, that worked! I’ll keep doing that.” Which can often lead to disaster with the next shuffle of cards.

But when I lose, especially when I lose a tough hand, I learn a lot. I’m more likely to see what went wrong and think about what I need to do differently next time.

If we’re reflective and willing to learn, losing is the best teacher. As much as it might sting.

Sincerely,

Mr. Curt