I got smoked.

I got smoked.

Over the summer, I started playing pickleball.

For the first two months, I played sporadically.

I was the newbie.

I struggled to keep up with the group.

But I was having fun.

I met great people.

So I began playing more often.

My game got better and better.

Now, I was dominating.

But I plateaued.

I didn’t feel I was getting better.

With this group, I could get away with mistakes.

So I sought out a new pickleball group.

I wanted to compete against better players.

I found them.

The tempo was faster.

The strokes were harder.

I got smoked again.

The better competition unlocked flaws in my game.

I was determined to improve.

YouTube videos.

A couple of private lessons.

Drills with a friend.

Within a month, I saw signs of improvement.

I’ve been able to keep up with the new group.

And, sometimes, lead it.

So again, I’m starting to look for new groups.

And I think, ready for my first tournament.

Reflecting on my pickleball journey, I see parallels to business.

Sometimes we get in our own way.

We’ll never win that big client.

We’ll never land that top candidate.

We’ll never sell that new service.

And we don’t pursue it.

But maybe the point isn’t to win, land, or sell.

What if it’s to experience playing up a level?

To expose our flaws.

To help us identify what needs development.

But to grow from this experience, you must work on it.

Be open to failing.

Practice.

Take feedback.

And try again.

And again, until you succeed.

And then reach even further.

That’s how growth happens.

If you’re the smartest person in the room, you’re in the wrong room.