Like many worldwide, I have relished the opportunity to witness elite athletes compete at the 2024 Olympics. I have observed triumph as athletes crossed the finish line to win gold and I have observed heartache as athletes’ attempts at victory were tragically ended by an unexpected false start. When contemplating these opposing outcomes, I’ve questioned what it means to achieve and what it means to fail.
By definition, to achieve means to succeed at reaching or accomplishing a desired objective or result by effort, skill or courage.
When an athlete competes at the Olympic level, they do so amongst the best of the best– an achievement in itself. And yet, when an athlete walks away without the gold, does it mean the athlete has failed? I think not. At any given point intime, there are many factors at play. Does an athlete’s performance give reason for reflection towards improvement? Certainly.
“Citius, Altius, Fortius” – Higher, Faster, Stronger – was the original Olympic motto adopted in 1894 to encourage athletes to give their best. Similarly, these ideals are expressed in the Olympic creed: “The most important thing in the Olympic games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.”
This desire to improve has inspired incredible feats of humanity.
In contrast, award winning journalist and author Jennifer Breheny Wallace (2023) cautions, “ambition can become toxic when we tangle our entire sense of self and value with our achievements”.
Breheny Wallace’s research on ‘healthy strivers’ found students who were able to achieve success in healthy ways felt a deep sense of mattering – deeply valued for who they were by their family, by their friends and by their community separate from their external achievements. Those students who felt their value was contingent on their performance, sadly lacked proof they mattered.
Ron Carucci’s article published in the Harvard Business Review (2020) suggested knowing how far to reach is key to harnessing healthy ambition. He stated setting goals requires the right level of difficulty and discomfort to push you beyond your current abilities – if the challenge is too great, you risk giving up, if the challenge isn’t great enough, you risk never realising the full potential of your efforts. According to Carucci, focusing on growth reminds us results aren’t guaranteed – you have to earn them.
As a GPS school, our boys compete among the best of the best. If a student doesn’t achieve first place or 100% on his test, does it mean he has failed? I think not. At any given point in time, there are many factors at play. Does his performance give reason for reflection towards improvement? Certainly. But we should do so knowing that continual growth towards long-term improvement supersedes a single achievement, and we should do so knowing our boys are more than a position or a percentage.
We will continually challenge ourselves and our boys to be exceptional performers. This is a statement of intent, an aspiration and a call to action. We understand we may falter at times, but we are compelled to commit to this standard. In doing so, we will generate the energy and purpose that are fundamental to great schools – our great school, for our great boys.
Anja-Lee Caldwell
Junior School Curriculum Leader