Closing the loop

Our son’s little league baseball team finally took home the championship trophy after coming in second two years in a row. The win wasn’t as sweet as we would have liked. As one of the best defensive catchers in the league, our son unquestionably played his role on the team well. He is however most definitely not the best hitter on the team and grounded out twice. His attitude coming off the field after his two disappointing at bats wasn’t the best. It took him a while to shake it off and his self-defeated body language left his teammates confused, frustrated even in the case of the pitcher who promptly ordered him to “get his head back in the game”.

Of course parents try their hardest to raise resilient kids and school teachers strive to instill durable skills in children throughout their upbringing. Sports can also help build character, excellent life skills, and strong habits. But our repeated attempts as parents to correct our son’s negative demeanor weren’t nearly as impactful as that statement from his teammate. And in situations like this one, peers who have successfully navigated the negative self-talk and built the mental toughness required to flush failure and try again might be truly invaluable. I’ve seen countless companies built around the concept of mentorship over the years. I have yet to find a compelling and scalable business model to provide just-in-time respected peer guidance in an organic way and for any educational, professional or life challenge. If you are working on innovative solutions in the space, please email me here and/or fill out this form. I look forward to hearing from you!