Resilience definition: capability of a strained body to recover its size and shape after deformation caused especially by compressive stress. An ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.

Reading at this definition, I quickly found on Google, it strikes me to see how resilience is so crucial in sport but also most importantly in life in general. Regardless of who we are, where we live, what we do, how fit we are or not, we will encounter difficulties in our lives. Based on my personal experience, sport taught me resilience (and still teaches me today) that I haven’t found elsewhere. The feeling to never give up, get back to training after a poor performance, lose or disappointment is simply one of the best life learning lesson that bring peace and humility. Developing resilience skills from sport is priceless, fun (not in the moment…but in the end), motivating to push further your boundaries.

As a kid, I use to play tennis with one of my best friends. We use to spent entire Saturday or Sunday afternoons in the nearby court, which was the one from our high school. It was in pretty poor conditions. To enter in it, we had to either climb the cage or there was a whole big enough to get in. He was really good. Strong server, volley and always making me visiting the court from left to right. I was so pissed off that something my racket didn’t survived my anger and broke. My friend was so kind that when he saw me getting me and loosing, we had a common ‘motivation dialogue’

He said : “Where are you from?” I replied: “I am from here. Here we never give up”

He said: “It is not what?” I replied: “It is not over !”

He said: “YOU are not what?” I replied: “I AM not over !”

Since then, every time I have a difficulty in life I remember this and this dialogue stays in my head and keep moving me forward.