Giannis On Failure Framing

When the #8 seed beats the #1 seed in a tournament, statistically speaking, it’s a failure. 

But when you ask Giannis Antetekounmpo if he views his team’s loss as a failure, he tells the reporter (edited for brevity, full clip below), 

You asked me the same thing last year, Eric. Do you get a promotion every year, on your job? Right – so your work is a failure? Yes or no? No. Every year you work, you work towards something, towards a goal. It’s not a failure. It’s steps to success. 

Michael Jordan played 15 years. Won 6 championships. The other 9 years was a failure? That’s what you’re telling me? 

So why’d you ask me the question? It’s the wrong question. There’s no failure in sports. There’s good days, bad days, some days you’re able to be successful, some days you’re not. Some days it’s your turn, some days it’s not your turn. And that’s what sport’s about – you don’t always win. 

Failure is all in how you frame it. Always.